​N A D I A  I S S A
 

Heden

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In Swedish and Danish heden means “now”. There is an analogy between this word and the word Eden. Indeed, Sweden often appears as a Promised Land for the refugees.
In Sweden there are now approximately 41.748 Syrian refugees. This is the highest figure in Europe. In the consciousness of many Syrians Sweden embodies the dreams about the Promised Land. The high level of humanitarian aid in this country means that the status of a refugee life is very good.
This photo essay is bringing up the issue of the psychological aspect of being a refugee, a live in isolation from your own culture and tradition. My observation shows that the daily life of refugees focuses on anticipation. They are waiting for the sun, for the letter with information about granting permanent residence card, for information from the families left behind. It is a state of permanent suspension and living in constant tension. In these photographs I tried to capture the state of anticipation which interfuses with every other aspect of daily life. I was searching for sign of normality, not trauma, although the latter is always undeniably present.