Susan Meiselas Upper left:
“I needed to do something instead of watching the news all day”,
--Ian, 24, 1st time poll worker
Borough Park, New York. Polls open at P.S. 105, The Blythebourne School.
Upper Midd (...)
le:
Flatbush, New York. Voters on election day at the Kings Theater.
Upper right:
“Voting is the right thing to do—we won’t say we didn’t try.”
--Katherine, 38, voter
“I can’t see fascism in this country”--Elizabeth, 34
Elmhurst, New York. Voters at the Elmhurst Educational Academy.
Lower left:
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time”
--Jessica, 18, first time voter
“I was so excited to bring my sister along, every vote counts”
--Wendy, 21
Elmhurst, New York. Voters on Election day at PS 089.
Lower Middle:
Flatbush, New York. Free food being offered by the Black Chef Movement near the polling station at the Kings theater.
Lower right:
“I was out of a job, so I was available. It’s interesting to de-mystify the process”
--Sonya, 25, 1st time poll worker
Williamsburg, New York.Late evening inside the polling station at PS 250. © Susan Meiselas | Magnum Photos
Bieke Depoorter I’m so far away of everything. I feel like I am in another world. During these election days, I am travelling across France to pick up a historical book I bought. The Carte Photographique du Ciel i (...)
s probably one of the biggest failed scientific projects ever. For almost 60 years, 20 observatories all over the globe - except for the US - worked together to catalogue the whole sky. For generations, in an attempt to count all the stars, male astronomers spent their nights outdoors, making 22,0000 photographic plates of the stars, while female ‘computers’ spent their days hunched over the results, classifying and measuring the brightness and position of the stars. Hours, days, months, years go by, but they will never count the last star. After all those years, they eventually have to give up. Thinking of all of you over there in the US.
I hope for the best outcome, always want to believe in the impossible. November 2, 2020. France © Bieke Depoorter | Magnum Photos
Susan Meiselas From Top Left :
- Covering up windows of Sweetgreen on Park Ave. in anticipation of unrest following Election day.
- Borough Park, New York. Polls open on Election day.
- Flatbush, New York. Vo (...)
ters on Election day at Kings theater.
- Elmhurst, New York. Voters on Election day at PS 089. “I do it because it’s the law and when you can vote, you should” Surasak, 74, immigrant from Thailand
- Elmhurst, New York. Voters on Election day at PS 089. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time” Jessica, 18, first time voter
- Elmhurst, New York. Voters at the Elmhurst Educational Academy.“Voting is the right thing to do—we won’t say we didn’t try.” Katherine, 38, voter
“I can’t see fascism in this country” Elizabeth, 34
- Williamsburg, New York. Inside the polling station at PS 250.
- Flatbush, New York. Free food being offered by the Black Chef Movement near polling station on Election day.
- Williamsburg, New York. Inside the polling station at PS 250. “I was out of a job, so I was available. It’s interesting to de-mystify the process” Sonya, 25, 1st time poll worker.
New York. USA. November 3, 2020. © Susan Meiselas | Magnum Photos
Peter van Agtmael The scene at the fence blocking the White House from protestors. Washington is incredibly quiet as results are tabulated. Most of downtown is boarded up. It’s a bit of a block party but it seems th (...)
ere is more media than protestors. Who knows what’s next? Washington DC. USA. November 4, 2020. © Peter van Agtmael | Magnum Photos
Mikhael Subotzky Watching the election with my wife and dog - as things in the US start to turn a little more positive, Maria and Lorelei Subotzky join me outside for a much-needed drink. Johannesburg has summer th (...)
understorms and our garden feels as green as ever. Johannesburg. South Africa. November 4, 2020. © Mikhael Subotzky | Magnum Photos
Larry Towell I woke up this morning to sunlight creeping across the ceiling. I use it as my alarm clock. I can always tell what time it is that way. It was 7:32 AM--- more or less. It was time to go downstairs (...)
and listen to the news…. I didn’t get any answers. Canada. November 4, 2020. © Larry Towell | Magnum Photos
Moises Saman The Day after US presidential election. Obsessively listening to CNN this morning as I drive down to the Dead Sea, I saw this shepherd watching her flock from a vantage point overlooking the ancien (...)
t Jordan Valley.
Time seems to pass slower in this ancient land. Jordan. November 4, 2020. © Moises Saman | Magnum Photos
Colby Deal These images two live well together for me as the memorial of flowers and David is a representation of the area of Third Ward and the societal climate we're transitioning into today. As I roam the (...)
area where George Floyd grew up, I think about the death he had to endure and also the death that needs to happen to our crooked justice system. David being a new elected politician at the bright start of his career, gives me the hope of the crooked justice that needs to be refined. This is what this election represents to me, and way of life that will leave, no matter who is elected. Houston, Texas. USA. November 3, 2020. © Colby Deal | Magnum Photos
Mark Power After spending a few days in Italy printing a new book I returned to the UK on Friday under strict government instructions to self-isolate for a fortnight. This is strange, since Italy seems to be (...)
dealing with the virus far better than we are. I felt completely safe there, but arriving at Heathrow was terrifying; precious little attempt at social distancing by anyone, and very few people wearing masks. Anyway, I’m stuck inside with Kodak, my dog. The TV is on, the fire is roaring, and the exit polls are pending... Brighton. UK. November 3, 2020. © Mark Power | Magnum Photos
Newsha Tavakolian A street peddler gathers up his products along a highway between Tehran and the suburb of Lavasan on the night of the US elections. In the background, a billboard showing Lt-Gen. Qassem Soleimani, (...)
who was killed by a U.S. drone in January in Baghdad. The fate of Iran and the United States are intertwined in an ironic way. American sanctions have worn out the Iranian economy and in the past weeks, everything has been placed on hold to see what the result of the elections will be. It is strange for me that an event so far away can feel so close. Tehran. Iran. November 3, 2020. © Newsha Tavakolian | Magnum Photos
Lúa Ribeira I am currently in north Spain walking the "camino" peregrination to Santiago de Compostela. I will be making work here for the next few weeks. I have been walking only for a few days and the path i (...)
s very empty because of the new COVID-19 restrictions that have been put into effect, but there are still some shops and bars along the way. I got to watch a bit of the news reportage on the election, and like some of you already said, it feels really remote from here, partly because locals do not seem to care in the current pandemic panic, and partly because of the immensity of the landscape. Spain. November 3, 2020. © Lúa Ribeira | Magnum Photos
Lindokuhle Sobekwa Lindokuhle Sobekwa
"South Africa. November 3, 2020.
Today I spent some time with Tayler Friar, a historian lecturer at UCT who is based in Cape Town, but originally from Oakland, California. She (...)
voted via absentee ballot from South Africa. Like everyone in the world, she is worried about what the future holds for Black Americans. The person who Tayler is holding is Winnie Madikizela Mandela, a very important figure in South Africa's history of democracy, she was an anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She went through a lot because of the oppression at the time and she was a single mother to her children while Nelson Mandela was serving his time in prison.
Below are Friar's words:
'It's just ironic that today we literally are fighting for a White House that was built by slaves. The sacrifice, the blood, the sweat, the tears, the recurring racism, and systemic oppression that black people face, the degradation of the female body, the brutalization of black men. Black folks have been left out of so much of the American purpose and ethos. Black people have been left out again from the very same White House that they built. I, too am American. It's a black cry to remember us, our stories, and that we are part of the future of the country.'
Spending time with Tayler today got me thinking about what the future holds for Black people in the world." © Lindokuhle Sobekwa | Magnum Photos
Lindokuhle Sobekwa Lindokuhle Sobekwa
"South Africa. November 3, 2020.
Today I spent some time with Tayler Friar, a historian lecturer at UCT who is based in Cape Town, but originally from Oakland, California. She (...)
voted via absentee ballot from South Africa. Like everyone in the world, she is worried about what the future holds for Black Americans. The person who Tayler is holding is Winnie Madikizela Mandela, a very important figure in South Africa's history of democracy, she was an anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She went through a lot because of the oppression at the time and she was a single mother to her children while Nelson Mandela was serving his time in prison.
Below are Friar's words:
'It's just ironic that today we literally are fighting for a White House that was built by slaves. The sacrifice, the blood, the sweat, the tears, the recurring racism, and systemic oppression that black people face, the degradation of the female body, the brutalization of black men. Black folks have been left out of so much of the American purpose and ethos. Black people have been left out again from the very same White House that they built. I, too am American. It's a black cry to remember us, our stories, and that we are part of the future of the country.'
Spending time with Tayler today got me thinking about what the future holds for Black people in the world." © Lindokuhle Sobekwa | Magnum Photos
Nanna Heitmann I’m in the South of Russia, staying at the fascinating home of a videographer called Maru Kuleshova. Nothing here feels more far away than the elections in the US.
Putin is probably nervous now bu (...)
t here I think most people don’t even know that they are happening. Maru's mum learnt that the elections are happening when I tried to turn on the news on their TV today but the wifi would stuck all the time.
My fingers are crossed that at least the US nightmare will end today... Russia. November 3, 2020.
" © Nanna Heitmann | Magnum Photos
Stuart Franklin Election day in the US. Processing film in my darkroom. The countdown clock.
"I got up early to make coffee and process film from yesterday. Some way through the work my humble ancient ticking dar (...)
kroom countdown clock took on an added significance. “We are all counting down today,” I thought. Fingers crossed for Biden." Malta. 2020. November 3. © Stuart Franklin | Magnum Photos
Bieke Depoorter FRANCE. November 2, 2020. I’m so far away of everything. I feel like I am in another world. During these election days, I am travelling across France to pick up a historical book I bought. The Cart (...)
e Photographique du Ciel is probably one of the biggest failed scientific projects ever. For almost 60 years, 20 observatories all over the globe - except for the US - worked together to catalogue the whole sky. For generations, in an attempt to count all the stars, male astronomers spent their nights outdoors, making 22,0000 photographic plates of the stars, while female ‘computers’ spent their days hunched over the results, classifying and measuring the brightness and position of the stars. Hours, days, months, years go by, but they will never count the last star. After all those years, they eventually have to give up. Thinking of all of you over there in the US.
I hope for the best outcome, always want to believe in the impossible. © Bieke Depoorter | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur I have not been able to do anything related to the election in these days as I have been sitting in court on jury service. It's a bit annoying when you get called to do it but the process itself is (...)
fascinating to be part of. We were guided through it all and had all the points of law explained to us but they also kept reminding us 'ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you must use your experience and common sense'. So there we were, this group of suitably random people, given the responsibility of making a decision based on what we believe to be 'right'. It did of course make me think about the election too.
When we were done (he was guilty) I did a quick picture of us each as a record. UK. November 2, 2020. The day before US presidential election. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Stuart Franklin The fishing village of Marsalforn on the island of Gozo, off Malta.
"I am on an island in the Mediterranean called Gozo, off Molta. But I was out shooting this morning thinking about Trump and the (...)
US election. A cab picked me up at 6.30 this morning. I asked if anyone on the island might not have heard of Donald Trump. The driver, after doubting that, said, “You know, Trumpa, that’s a word in Maltese. It means getting things upside down.” I asked for an example. He said it refers to a person who continually makes mistakes: “if I’d gone to pick up someone else this morning and not you, I’d be a ‘trumpa’.” It must be a local idiom because I cannot find it in Google. Anyway I headed to Marsalforn, a sleepy fishing village and tourist trap in the season. I saw some scratched paint on a wall that reminded me of an electoral map. I saw a sewer drain coming out of that same wall that reminded me of Trump. Then I found a wall on the sea and that reminded me all Trump’s total achievement as president: divide and rule. He has increased division in US, created dangerous divides between people, become the king of the Philistines, racists, tax dodgers and far right extremists set against those who wish for a fairer society, less division between rich and poor, and between peoples. So the wall is a symbol for me of Trump’s tenure as president." Malta. November 2, 2020. © Stuart Franklin | Magnum Photos