As of October 31, 2011, 7 billion souls inhabit this planet. The U.N. Population Fund also estimates that more than half the world’s population is now living in an urban area, a figure that is expected to rise to 70 percent by 2050.

Martin Roemers (b. 1962, Netherlands) embarked on Metropolis in 2009 to document this process of urbanization by focusing on the world’s megacities – places with a population of more than ten million people. How can people live in cities that are so vast yet so incredibly crowded and hectic? What are the differences between these megacities and what do they have in common? How do cities and their populations evolve? For all their chaos, big cities still have a sense of humanity. It is this humanity and sense of interconnectedness that Roemers wishes to reveal in his photographs, the dynamic character of each city and the urban dwellers who make it their home.

In a discussion led by photo editor and curator, James Wellford, Roemers will present this body of work and discuss why he started the project and how it continues to evolve and grow.