“A love letter to the complexity of belonging“: Joel’s Portrait of Britain

We first met Joel in 2022, when he spoke to us about his journey into photography and building a creative career in the UK after it became unsafe for him to remain in Venezuela. Recently, we caught up with him again to hear about his latest projects and how his work continues to explore identity, culture and belonging.

Born in Venezuela, Joel grew up immersed in a visual culture shaped by colour, traditions and everyday expressions.

When he arrived in the UK in his twenties, seeking safety, that vivid visual language stayed with him, but his sense of identity shifted. Arriving in the UK, Joel found himself navigating a shifting sense of identity, learning how to exist between cultures, while searching for a sense of belonging.

This year, Joel’s photography was selected for the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Britain, one of the UK’s largest public photography exhibitions. 100 portraits are displayed across the country, turning public spaces into a nationwide gallery. The exhibition was launched in 2016 as a celebration of the many faces of modern Britain, “a reminder that the most compelling stories of Britain do not emerge from geography or ideology but from the extraordinary variety of people who inhabit it.”

Joel’s portrait, ‘Roots’, is striking. Natural materials like corn husks are woven into modern fashion, blending past and present, and symbolising survival and reinvention. It is, as Joel describes it, a “love letter to the complexity of belonging.”

Joel’s Portrait of Britain, Roots, honours his Latin American heritage within the landscape of British culture.

Through ‘Roots’, Joel explores what it means to carry heritage into a new landscape, and to grow new roots without letting go of old ones.

Joel’s Portrait of Britain success is just one creative project among many for the director and photographer. He’s currently working on a new project based in Peterborough, called Positive Notes, a collaborative photography project that transforms the city into a living gallery of stories.

Each piece reflects a different story: the revival of a carnival after 40 years, the journey of a refugee who became a cultural leader, the voices of young people shaping the future of their community. Rather than telling stories for others, Joel works collaboratively with participants to share their stories, so they are heard and seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Joel Rodriguez (@jolro)

Joel’s work focuses on how identity is expressed, shared and understood. Informed by his own experience of rebuilding a life in a new country, he makes space for a wider range of stories – including those of refugees – contributing to a more complete picture of modern Britain.

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To view more of Joel’s incredible work, please visit his website here.

If you have lived experience of displacement and are interested in sharing your story, you can learn more about our Storytelling Programme here.