UNITED NATIONS

As a documentary photographer Caroline Irby’s work has taken her all over the world. And in every place she goes – from Sierra Leone to Haiti, Darfur to Kashmir – it is unfailingly children that she is drawn to photograph.”I find myself telling the story through them,” she says. “I think children often give the most sensitive expression of what’s happening in a situation.”

Now, inspired by the changing make-up of her homeland, Irby set out to photograph a child born in each country in the world but now living in Britain. Her search for 192 children lasted just over a year and compelled her to shoot in schools, city councils, refugee groups, religious institutions, photographing friends, family and strangers on the streets.

“It was a project from heaven,” says Irby. “It allowed me to travel the world without leaving my country, experiencing it all through the eyes of children, who see everything with new eyes.” At the end Irby managed to find 185 children aged from 0 to 16 who were happy to share their thoughts and observations about food, family and culture, where they are from and where they are now. It’s compelling stuff.

‘A Child From Everywhere’ is at the V&A Museum of Childhood until 30th August. The book is available from Black Dog Publishing.

blackdogonline.com/all-books/a-child-from-everywhere.html

Above image: Vietnam – Emilia