Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 14 Mar. (Europa Press) –
The exhibition ‘The Canarian Route: 30 Years of Migration and Death,’ organised by the Presidency of the Canary Islands government, features 12 photojournalists who document the migratory phenomenon in the archipelago over the past three decades through 80 images. This exhibition has arrived at the Museum of Nature and Archeology (Muna) this Friday.
Tenerife is the third island to host this exhibition, having previously been showcased at the Entallada lighthouse in Fuerteventura last August, and at Casa Africa in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where it achieved record attendance numbers with almost 1,000 visitors during its open month.
During the opening ceremony, the Deputy Minister of the Presidency, Alfonso Cabello, emphasized the importance of recognising the human tragedy behind the migratory phenomenon, stating that “behind each figure, behind every patera and cayuco that arrives on the islands, there are individuals who require a dignified response, especially children.”
Cabello further highlighted that “these images, while documenting migratory realities, illustrate that the Canary Islands need solidarity and commitment from both the State and the other autonomous communities, as well as from the European Union.” He noted that the media’s realistic portrayal, and particularly that of the photojournalists, “serves as a reminder that the migration crisis is structural.”
The Deputy Minister insisted that “the exhibition should help awaken conscience and build consensus to provide the response that those arriving in Europe via the Canary Islands deserve — especially the children.”
The curator of the exhibition, photojournalist Desirée Martín, noted the positive response it has received, with its central theme revolving around “the battle against misinformation.”
She explained that the photographs “not only depict the arrival of migrants but also illustrate their journeys before reaching the islands.”
The Most Dangerous Route
In August 2024, it will mark three decades since a patera departed from the western Sahara coast, arriving at Salinas del Carmen in Fuerteventura with two individuals aboard. This event initiated a perilous corridor between Africa and the Canary Islands, which has become the most treacherous and fatal in the world.
The exhibition offers a journey through the migratory movement within the islands and includes text from the photographers to aid understanding of the journeys made by migrants, providing context regarding the reasons that drive them to leave their home countries.
These images, as noted by the Canary Islands Communication Prize winner, José Naranjo, “possess the peculiar capacity to portray the reality, but also, by shielding us, turn the natural desire to migrate into an odyssey filled with survivors and the deceased.”
The collection of photographs, he believes, acts as a duty of remembrance; it is not merely about appearing and observing, but about truly seeing. Only through a comprehensive understanding of the migratory act and its complex relations within an exceedingly unjust world can we begin to respond effectively.
An Enriching Exhibition
Following its time at Casa Africa, the exhibition has “evolved” by incorporating new elements, ultimately presenting a thorough documentary on human migration.
The MUNA provides a historical perspective on migration and will feature an animated installation depicting the Atlantic current, detailing the early inhabitants of the Canary Islands.
The exhibition will also present a historical overview of the migratory flow from the Canaries to South America.
Additionally, activities for school groups visiting the exhibition will include educational dynamics aimed at facilitating “an exchange of emotions,” as articulated by Desirée Martín.
There will also be three guided tours led by the photographers (scheduled for March 29, April 5, and May 3), as well as a ‘Masterclass’ on photojournalism and migration, taught by Andrés Gutiérrez.
Furthermore, a gathering with various individuals who provide initial assistance to migrants upon their arrival at sea and once they set foot on land is also planned.
At the inauguration, alongside the Deputy Minister of the Presidency, Alfonso Cabello, attendees included the Vice Minister of the Presidency Cabinet, Octavio Caraballo; the Minister of Culture and Museums of the Cabildo de Tenerife, José Carlos Acha; and the Museum director, Conrado Rodríguez.
The exhibition will be on display at the Museum of Archeology and Nature (MUNA) from March 14 to May 18.
Ethical Journalism
Among the activities organised as part of the exhibition ‘The Canarian Route: 30 Years of Migration and Death’, MUNA will host the launch of the book ‘Ethical Treatment of Immigration in the Media’ by Rodrigo Fidel Rodríguez Borges, a professor at the University of La Laguna (Ull).
The guide explores negative narratives surrounding immigration and dedicates significant attention to how the media portrays this reality.
Rodríguez Borges also proposes ten actionable criteria aimed at assisting professionals and journalism students in enhancing their work from an ethical and human rights-focused perspective.
