Las Canas

Winning eight World Press Photo Awards, South African photojournalist Jodi Bieber captures the stories of ordinary people with devastating addictions in Las Canas, Spain.

Las Canas is a fly-infested municipal dump where approximately 100 people live in abandoned cars, makeshift shacks, tents or under the stars. At least 1000 people pass through Las Canas daily to buy and consume drugs, with overdoses as frequent as 20 a day.  

This powerful exhibition depicts the sadness and loss of ordinary people – a ballerina, a soldier, a construction worker. They come from different parts of the world and they have different backgrounds. Yet they have one thing in common - drugs. They could be your sister or brother, daughter or son.

Jodi Bieber has worked on assignments for NY Times Magazine, Geo and Stern Magazine. She currently works on special projects for MSF and Amnesty International. Jodi Bieber is the recipient of eight World Press Photo Awards and was on the jury for World Press Photo 08. 

Warning: Exhibition contains strong drug themes. 

© Jodi Bieber