ORIHUELA WEEKEND MUSEUM CLOSURES
Lucas Vallecillos' 'global photographic essay developed over several years'
Until further notice: All museums in the municipality are closed from 14.00 on Fridays until 10.00 on Tuesdays, in order to complement the compulsory weekend closure of the perimeters of all municipalities in the Valencia region with a population of more than 50,000 people
AN EXHIBITION of images by the photo-journalist Lucas Vallecillos, which comes under the title ‘Atrapados. Infancias explotadas’ (trapped. Exploited childhoods) is taking place at the Sala AIFOS in Alicante university.
The exhibition programme describes it as ‘a global photographic essay, developed over several years, that investigates, denounces and invites people to reflect on the sociocultural frameworks that adults create to trap and exploit minors, violating their fundamental rights with impunity, and normalising the fact that they form part of the economic system, formal or informal, in countries with governments and societies that look the other way’.
Taking as his reference points – the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Labour Organisation Conventions 138 and 182, which establish the minimum age for work (138) and the worst forms of child labour (182) – Sr Vallecillos highlights several situations in Senegal, Lebanon and Japan, where minors are systematically exploited for profit by adults.
According to UNICEF, it is estimated that more than 150 million children have to work every day to survive. Almost half, 72 million, are subjected to the worst forms of child labour, such as slavery, prostitution, being part of armed groups, carrying out illegal activities, or doing work that damages their health, safety or morality.
Lucas Vallecillosis has been an independent, professional photographer since 1999, the year that he decided to ‘explore and travel the world’.
His work has evolved into a style of his own, ‘where the human condition, treated with lots of respect, has acquired great prominence’. His photographic works predominantly address themes such as anthropology and human rights.
The exhibition is open Monday to Friday from 09.0014.00 and 16.00-19.00 until February 26.
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