Looking through his lens, photographer Kenny Karpov tries to capture who people truly are — their expressions, their bodies and the light in their eyes. His emotional portraits, paired with written work, tell their stories.

In Karpov’s latest project, the book “Despite It All We Never Learn,” he tells the stories of refugees, the real people going through travails on a journey toward better and safer lives.

Internationally acclaimed photographer and Detroit resident Kenny Karpov joins us to talk about his upcoming photo exhibit, “Despite It All, We Never Learn.”

The photos take you on a journey with Karpov on a refugee boat in the Mediterranean. It’s quite the story, and the opening event is at M Contemporary Gallery in Ferndale.

Despite It All We Never Learn, is a book of refugee testimonials taken from the Mediterranean Sea from those living in situations beyond our imaginations released by photographer and documentarian, Kenny Karpov.

Karpov’s mission is to share the stories of the many refugees that he encountered during his time in Europe. The book that he crowdfunded earlier this year, describes the agonizing first person narratives and impossible decisions that refugees have to make as they head toward what they believe is a better life.

Artist Matt Eaton explores themes of nostalgia and space.

Episode 908/Segment 2

Kenny Karpov will be the featured exhibiting artist at M Contemporary Art Gallery, right across the street from the Ferndale Library, starting November 22 -thru – December 15. This is his first solo exhibition, but Karpov is not an artist. Even if it is an exhibition in a gallery, with 21 works of photography, Karpov is not an artist, just as he’s not your typical photographer. At least he doesn’t talk like one; doesn’t live like one, and doesn’t, frankly, think like one.

In first exhibition of his drawings in five years, Rucker explores the connections between rock pigeons and African-American males — “marginalized person, marginalized animal,” says Rucker.

Detroit native Kenny Karpov at 17 moved to New York where he became a photojournalist with the New York Times and the BBC. His story telling abilities drew the attention of international help organizations and as a result he has just published a book of his 4 1/2 year mission to document the rescue of Libyan and Syrian refugees in small boats in the Mediterranean sea.Detroit native Kenny Karpov at 17 moved to New York where he became a photojournalist with the New York Times and the BBC. His story telling abilities drew the attention of international help organizations and as a result he has just published a book of his 4 1/2 year mission to document the rescue of Libyan and Syrian refugees in small boats in the Mediterranean sea.

A background in storytelling and photography plays a big part in Rashaun Rucker's art, which he uses to direct attention to critical social issues.