Introduction to "Homo Mobilis"

Dutch photographer Martin Roemers' project, "Homo Mobilis" (Latin for "mobile human"), explores the multifaceted relationship between vehicles and human identity.

The project aims to understand how transportation methods represent individual and collective identities, reflect global inequalities, and illustrate the evolving nature of mobility in the 21st century.

Project Scope and Philosophy

Roemers dedicated nearly five years to this project, traveling to 28 countries across five continents. He photographed approximately 200 cars and other vehicles, with 160 of these included in his book.

He contends that a vehicle's character often mirrors its owner's spirit, worldview, culture, and even broader societal aspects.

The project emphasizes that vehicles frequently serve functions beyond mere transportation.

Key Examples and Observations

• Statements and Billboards: In Mumbai, India, Roemers highlighted an old black car advertising "Afghan Carpets," demonstrating vehicles' role as mobile statements or billboards.

• Environmental Activism: A lawyer and climate activist in Bengaluru, India, was featured for converting his car's roof into a garden, an effort to promote carbon footprint reduction.

• Livelihoods and Expression: Photographs from Senegal captured a newspaper vendor utilizing a bicycle-hitched cart, illustrating how vehicles are deeply integrated into livelihoods and personal expression.

• Vehicles as Homes: In the United States (Los Angeles), the project documented unhoused individuals who use their vehicles as living spaces, including artists, immigrants, and retired construction workers.

• Chinese Adaptations: Roemers captured electric motorized cargo bikes used for diverse purposes in China, such as selling children's toys and collecting recycling. He also observed electric taxis, inexpensive vehicles originally designed for people with disabilities but now widely used, reflecting adaptation to social and economic demands.

• Mobile Market Stands: A chicken vendor in Nashik, India, ingeniously adapted his auto-rickshaw into a mobile market stand.

• Cultural and Spiritual Significance: Roemers noted that vehicles are profoundly linked to sentiment and spirituality. Particularly in India, clients sometimes hire priests for Hindu prayers (pujas) in showrooms for new cars. In China, new cars might be adorned with flowers.

• Community and Family Bonding: Photographs from India depicted large families alongside their cars, which Roemers interpreted as representing community and familial ties. Children were also included alongside a truck in Malegaon, adding a layer of mobility to the portraits.

• Urban Heritage and Societal Resistance: In Kolkata, India, the project documented hand-pulled rickshaws. These vehicles, though controversial and gradually being phased out, represent a unique urban heritage and a livelihood for many, while also reflecting societal resistance to change and historical caste systems.

• Evolution of Transport: The book included images of students at an Indian university who developed a hydrogen car, showcasing ongoing innovation in transportation.

• Vehicle's End of Life: The project concludes with images of scrapped vehicles, serving as a reminder that despite their significant roles culturally and personally, vehicles ultimately become scrap metal.