Portraits of Children Around the World and Where They Sleep

Where Children Sleep is an eye-opening project by photographer James Mollison that takes a look at children from all across the globe and the diverse environments they go to sleep in. The series presents a portrait of each child or adolescent accompanied by a shot of their bedrooms. While some have a bounty of possessions and a lavish bed to rest their head on at night, the images reveal that some are not as fortunate.

Mollison gives an intimate perspective of these children, offering some sense of their lifestyle through their personal bedroom. At times, though, it can be difficult to even refer to the space they sleep in as a bedroom as there is no actual bed. In the case of Bilal, a 6-year-old Bedouin shepherd boy, the young boy is left to sleep “outdoors with his father's herd of goats.” Alternatively, 4-year-old Kaya in Tokyo is adorned in frilly dresses that her mother spends $1,000 on every month, which is reflected in the abundance of toys and luxury items that fill her room.

The series is currently available as a photo essay and fine art book that offers a variety of lifestyles, as seen through the portraits of children and their bedrooms.

Above: Alex, 9, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil


Anonymous, 9, Ivory Coast


Indira, 7, Kathmandu, Nepal


Dong, 9, Yunnan, China


Ahkohxet, 8, Amazonia, Brazil


Alyssa, 8, Harlan County, USA


Li, 10, Beijing, China


Bilal, 6, Wadi Abu Hindi, The West Bank


Joey, 11, Kentucky, USA


Kaya, 4, Tokyo, Japan


Jaime, 9, New York, USA


Ryuta 10, Tokyo, Japan


Nantio, 15, Lisamis, Northern Kenya


Kana,16, Tokyo, Japan

James Mollison website
via [22 Words]

Pinar

Pinar Noorata is the Managing Editor at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, NY. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College and is an alumni of the Center for Arts Education’s Career Development Program in NYC. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching movies, reading, crafting, drawing, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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