Humanidad – Working Children is a photographic exhibition that strives to educate its viewers about the effects of globalization on third world communities. Patrick Dionne and Miki Gingras document the impoverished living circumstances of young people in Nicaragua, and work to empower them by using photography as a tool for social change.

The artists used the pinhole camera as an intuitive, non-threatening way to approach the communities they wanted to work with. Between 2004 and 2008 Dionne and Gingras traveled to specific locations, made improvised cameras and set up makeshift darkrooms. They then initiated collaborations with these communities involving diverse techniques such as staged scenes and personal story telling. As a result, hundreds of children were given the opportunity to discover the power of image making. Through Dionne and Gingras’ use of these methods, the children they work with can represent their own reality and lend a voice to their community, allowing the collective to share their personal experiences and dreams. Exhibitions of these photos extend the process, creating awareness about the global practice of child labor.

Curated by Bonnie Rubenstein