Economic inequalitiesSouth Africa

Everyday Saints

In a rich-and-famous admiring society, we often overlook the contributions of everyday heroes who make our communities function. These raw but tender portraits are my humble attempt to acknowledge and celebrate my heroines – their stories and extraordinary strength of spirit in the face of hardship.

Everyday Saints Monica | January 2020 | Domestic worker Monica at her place of employment

“Everyday Saints” are a series of portraits of domestic workers from wealthy Cape Town suburbs. They take the hard life with patience and acceptance, giving all and expecting nothing in return. Not only do these women make life for their employers easier, but their work continues in their own homes, where they carry on roles of mothers, wives, caregivers, and being (often unseen) pillars of their communities.

Everyday Saints Miriam | January 2020 | Domestic worker Miriam

Capturing the essence of these individuals and giving them a voice through these photographs, I hope to celebrate them as appreciated and treasured members of society and let them be seen.

These are not ordinary people; these are Everyday Saints.

Everyday Saints Lucy | January 2020 | Shortly after giving birth to a child, Lucy was searching for employment, often a taxing full day of work.
Everyday Saints Gladys | January 2020 | Gladys was a day laborer depending on unpredictability of the weak job market
Everyday Saints Beatrice | January 2020 | Being much older, the chances of employment for Beatrice were very low in the high-unemployment Cape Town, where many young girls would be preferred for the position.
Everyday Saints Lucy | January 2020 | Due to her higher age and being an immigrant, Lucy struggled to find work.
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Angelika Kollin

Angelika Kollin (b. 1976) is an Estonian Fine Art/Documentary photographer currently residing in Tampa, USA. She is self-taught and engages with her passion for… More »

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