Martin Roemers asks ‘what does a vehicle tell us about status, culture and personal identity?’ To find out he travelled halfway around the world to photograph – always against a white background - drivers and their cars, trucks, motorcycles and hand carts.
Yaroslav, retired truck driver; Yarina and Galina, housewife | Moskvich Lviv, Ukraine
Viktor, truck driver and Valeria, archive worker | VAZ Lviv, Ukraine
Anta, commercial agent; Anna, massage therapist and Amadou, real estate broker | Hyundai Somone, Senegal
Aïcha, Yvonne, Fatimata and Becaye, car sales employees | Mini Dakar, Senegal
The mass motorisation of the 20th century has changed the world dramatically. In recent decades, there has been a shift in thinking about transportation and the era of the polluting combustion engine is coming to an end. The ‘machine age’ is giving way to a new era of mobility. The project aims to survey vehicles a this turning point - petrol and diesel vehicles are bing replaced by electric vehicle and in the global south animal and human powered transport by motorised vehicles. Homo Mobilis is a time capsule of vehicles which will only be seen in museums by future generations.
Against the background of this significant transformation, Martin Roemers explores the intricate relationship between humans and their vehicles, examining how mobility, as a cornerstone of modernity, shapes our identities and societies. In the process he creates a typology of vehicles. Each is photographed together with their drivers' against a stark white background. This deliberate removal from their environment invites viewers to contemplate the deeper narratives that these vehicles carry.
How many times do we hear 'what does your choice of car says about your personality?' But the relationship between owner and vehicle reveals so much more than the psychology of the individual; it reflects broader social dynamics, status, gender and class issues. This project allows us to decide for ourselves.
Juan, immigrant from Mexico, lives in a campervan | Ford Santa Monica, California, USA
Pat, artist and curator, lives in a campervan | Toyota Santa Monica, California, USA
Peter, organic farmer | Dodge Peconic, New York, USA
Tata S 1210; Truck driver Jamanalal (Bhilwara, Rajasthan)
Tata 1613 water tanker; Truck driver Harpal and parking lot guard Tail (Asangaon, Maharashtra)
Zenovyl, truck driver and Vasil, helper | ZIL Lviv, Ukraine
Vratislav, museum director | Trabant Terezin, Czech Republic
India Premier Padmini; Carpet repair man Abdul (Bombay, Maharashtra)
Bécaye, taxi driver; passengers Sokhna Fatou and Sokhna Kine | Peugeot Thiès, Senegal
India. Bajaj Tempo 12; Courier Mohammad Farukh (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh) The Bajaj Tempo was originally built in Hamburg Germany in the 1930's as 'Hanseat Tempo'.
left to right: Abdul, courier | Bajaj Bhairavgarh, Madhya Pradesh, India; Sham, courier | Ujjain Madhya Pradesh, India; Abdul, courier | Bajaj Bhairavgarh, Madhya Pradesh, India; Mamu | Ujjain Madhya Pradesh, India; Bajaj Tempo #5; Courier Dwarka (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh); Jagdiah, courier | Bajaj Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India; Dwarka, courier | Bajaj Madhya Pradesh, India; Vijay and Dilipsinh | Bajaj Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, India
Mada, market vendor and Ngagne, taxi driver | Renault Thiès, Senegal
Atoumane, bread deliverer | Renault Thiès, Senegal
Work team. Revi, mechanic; Gyan, entrepreneur; Praveen, operational manager; Mohammed, sales executive and Rakesh, investor | Chevrolet Bengaluru, India
Achal; Kajal, university student; Srikanth, agriculturalist; Santosh, restaurant owner; Pushpa, university student and Karisma, housewife | Hyundai Nandi, Karnataka, India
Sadio, garbage collector Thiès, Senegal
Kemo and Barhama, garbage collectors Thiès, Senegal
Djodje, courier Nguékhokh, Senegal
Saleou drives a handicap vehicle Thiès, Senegal
Medoune, taxi driver and passenger Assan | Dacia Thiès, Senegal Saleou drives a handicap vehicle Thiès, Senegal
Mamadou, taxi driver | Peugeot Thiès, Senegal
Yang, toy vendor | Mu Ling Shanghai, China
Chang, recycling center employee | Xinwang Shanghai, China
India, Bajaj autorickshaw #4; Mechanic Harikesh (Nashik, Maharashtra): India. Bajaj autorickshaw #3; Vegetable vendors Manik and Yashoda; (Nashik, Maharashtra): India, Atul Shakti Pickup Van; Couriers Yash and Anil (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh); India, Bajaj autorickshaw #1; Chicken seller Sunny (Nashik, Maharashtra)
Awa, motorcycle taxi driver and anonymous passenger | KTM Thiès, Senegal
Nagaraj, farmer; Navaneeth; Komala, housewife and Aadhya | Hero Nandi, Karnataka, India
Shanaz; Pasha, day laborer; Gousia; Asia, housewife and Shabreen, housewife | Honda Nandi, Karnataka, India
Family trip. Krithika; Hitashree; Poorvik; Hemanth; Rahul; Kavitha, housewife; Bhavana, college student; Doddhama, housewife; Rakshita, college student; Munilakshmi, housewife; Kumari, municipal politician and Bhagyamma, housewife | Suzuki Nandi, Karnataka, India
left to right: India, Handcart #2; Courier Sajjan Singh (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh); Bally, courier Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India; India, Handcart #3; Courier Bally Koli (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh); India, Handcart #1; Courier Sanju Baba (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh)
Tany, office administrator | Smart Shanghai, China
Yang, aircraft engineer and Zhu, graphic designer | BYD Shanghai, China
India Mayur static road roller; Driver Baliram (Maleagon, Maharashtra) This vehicle was photographed on a white backdrop.
India Mahindra Commander; Water pump mechanic Mukesh (Indore, Madhya Pradesh)
Thomas, taxi driver and Fatou, market vendor | Renault Thiès, Senegal
Mamadou, taxi driver and Alé, salesman | Renault Noto, Senegal
India. Ashok Leyland Dost Plus; Garbage driver Pralhad (Bhilwara, Rajasthan)
Hariom and Vinoth, icecream vendors | Tata Bengaluru, India
Mor, bus driver; passengers Ndoube, Aïda, Gora, Abdou and Macoura | Renault Segeul Thioune, Senegal
Jovanny, forklift driver; Jaylene; Cassy, profession unknown | Oldsmobile Los Angeles, California, USA
Daniel, rickshaw driver; Steven and Demetrius, sales employees | Paddycab Venice Beach, Los Angeles, USA
Funeral of an 80-year-old woman. Harry, driver; Christian, undertaker; Loes; Jo-Anne; Amber and Sylvana, pallbearers | Mercedes Hoogerheide, Netherlands
Priest Subramanyam prays for the new scooter of hair stylist Madhukiran | Honda Bengaluru, India
Priest Nagabushna prays for a new car | Suzuki Bengaluru, India
