Everyone we meet in the northern Albanian town of Bajram Curri has stories of a brother, a sister, a cousin, a friend who has left in search of a better life or to provide for their families.
Unemployment in Albania is widespread. Remote northern towns like this one have been disproportionately affected. Driven by desperate poverty and hopelessness for the future, more than a million Albanians (mostly men of working age) have left, to find opportunities abroad.
This is the story of those who have remained. Portraits of ordinary people I encountered on the street and the area they live in
Mieke is a Dutch and Canadian Photographic Artist, living in London.
Her work explores themes of intimacy and connection. She is known for her atmospheric lighting and surreal perspectives. Her images are described as moody, almost painterly, with an underlying sense of unease.
Her work has won numerous awards been published widely and is held in private collections and exhibited internationally, including the Royal Academy of Art in London. She has recently had Solo Shows, ‘STILL”, in London and ‘Lost Society | Looking In Through Glass’ at the Head On Photo Festival in Sydney, 2021.
Awards Mieke has recently won several major awards including: Sony World Photography Award Open Category 2023, BBA One Shot Award Top Ten Finalist 2023, Open Image Barcelona, Chromatic, Minimalist, Julia Margaret Cameron, Budapest International and British Photography Awards. Mieke was also Shortlisted for the Alpha Female Award at the Sony World Photography Awards, the Association of Photographers Emerging Talent Awards and the BBA Photography Prize.
