A MIGRANT’S PATH

A Migrant’s Path explores the complexities within the migration journeys of migrant, immigrant, and refugee groups settling in Aotearoa. Blending fine art, documentary photography, cultural motifs, and textual narratives, Abhi Chinniah places the individuals she photographs at the centre of this series. Their stories are told in their own words, and they stand in their cultural heritage, defining it on their own terms. The photo essay examines how these migration journeys shape identity and self-worth, studying what is carried forward, lost, or adapted across generations.

In its most recent evolution, what began as a collection of portraits documenting individual migrant stories has grown into No. 13, a fictional series personal to Abhi’s heritage that extends and deepens the narrative of A Migrant’s Path. This new body of work offers a more nuanced exploration of migration, colourism, mental health, and cultural identity—uncovering what is unspoken, layered, and still being sought.