Part I, Untitled, from the series Bolol, 2019. © Eva Diallo

Bolol

This ongoing photographic series, divided into chapters, explores the migration stories of Eva Diallo’s family members from Senegal to Italy. Following in the footsteps of her cousins and reflecting their testimonies, Diallo traveled through North Senegal, Mali, Bamako, Burkina Faso, and Niger, concluding her project in Italy. Instead of a straightforward documentary narrative, her photographs provide glimpses of the land and people she encountered, subtly capturing what might have been seen through her cousins' eyes. Their physical absence from the images adds to their poignant presence. Poetic and lyrical, the series highlights Diallo’s emotional connection with the places she visited, her unique position as a Swiss national with the freedom to travel, and her cousins’ sacrifices, dreams, hopes, and disillusionments in their pursuit of a better life in Europe.

Part I, Untitled, from the series Bolol, 2019. © Eva Diallo

About Eva Diallo

Born in 1996, Eva Diallo is a dedicated photographer and visual artist who graduated from the École supérieure d'arts appliqués in Vevey, Switzerland. During her final year, she began reporting and documenting in refugee camps in southern Italy, an experience that profoundly influenced her career. This revelation directed her focus toward migration issues, particularly the movement between Africa and Europe, resonating deeply with her personal and family history.

After completing her studies, Diallo moved to Senegal, her mother’s homeland, to explore the connections between her family and clandestine migration. Her work extensively examines her family in northern Senegal, where she is engaged in a long-term, intimate documentary project on the daily life of the Fulani people.