Germany, Wolfsburg. From the series ‘The Big Sea'
In 2016, Diana Markosian had a conversation with a young refugee boy about his fear of water following his traumatic journey crossing the sea to reach Europe. This prompted her to embark on a study of young refugees overcoming their fears through swimming lessons. She found a swimming instructor in the German town of Wolfsburg and made several visits over the course of eighteen months. This photograph depicts a young boy named Doud attempting to enter the water. He would lie on the side of the pool for long periods before finding his way in. According to Markosian, watching his confidence increase throughout the project was a “beautiful thing to witness”.
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