Ces portraits sont une commande de Manifesto Paris, en résidence au CENTQUATRE-PARIS en octobre 2017. C’est une collaboration, un double portrait. Ce portrait se fait en duo et en deux temps. Le ou la participante de PLACE (organisme qui a pour but d’insérer les réfugiés dans le monde du travail) intervient directement sur le portrait fait par la photographe. Il utilise des médiums divers et transforme son portrait. Pots de peinture, craies, pastels, découpages et des collages. Il utilise également le verbe et les graffitis. Il amène ses propres objets pour les insérer dans le tirage.
L’altérité, ce face-à-face nous renvoie à ce qui est autre, à ce qui est extérieur à un « soi », à une réalité de référence, qu’elle soit culturelle, artistique ou ethnologique. Chacun fait « entendre sa voix » par le biais de l’écriture picturale en s’appuyant sur des traditions, des histoires et des philosophies différentes, mais ces œuvres ne se laissent pas évaluer à l’aune de l’art contemporain malgré leur totale actualité. Leurs qualités artistiques sont là où on ne les attend pas, se refusant à se plier aux codes établis. Le vernaculaire se mêlant aux standards planétaires. Ces œuvres sont authentiques, ces portraits uniques de réfugiés nous parlent de communauté de destin, mais aussi d’histoires individuelles. Ce regard, arrêté entre le passé et le futur, raconte d’une manière intime, l’exil.
Il s’agit d’une collaboration, construire des ponts entre les individus pour le vivre-ensemble, l’enrichissement culturel, déconstruire les préjugés sur les migrants.
These portraits are an assignment from Manifesto Paris, in residence at CENTQUATRE-PARIS in October 2017. It is a collaboration, a double portrait. This portrait is done in duo and in two times. The participant of PLACE (an organization that aims to insert refugees into the world of work) intervenes directly in the portrait made by the photographer. He or she uses various mediums and transforms the portrait. Pots of paint, chalk, pastels, cut-outs, and collages. He also uses words and graffiti. He brings his objects to insert them into the print.
The otherness, this face-to-face refers us to what is other, to what is external to a “self”, to a reality of reference, whether it is cultural, artistic, or ethnological. Each one makes “hear its voice” by the means of the pictorial writing by leaning on traditions, histories, and different philosophies, but these works do not allow themselves to be evaluated by the yardstick of the contemporary art despite their total topicality. Their artistic qualities are there where we do not expect them, refusing to bend to established codes. The vernacular mingle with global standards. These works are authentic, these unique portraits of refugees speak to us of a community of destiny, but also of individual stories. This look stopped between the past and the future, tells intimately, the exile.
It is a collaboration, building bridges between individuals for living together, cultural enrichment, deconstructing prejudices about migrants.
« It was a nice expérience, dreams now succeed »
For a very short time, I am a princess wearing a laurel wreath.
In the real life, things are not so easy. In the picture in myback it’s dark and difficult, in front of me it’s hope and a nicer future.
The most important thing in my life is my three children I want for them a very nice life.
« I dream, I am a bird» A bird is free. I am not free like a bird but I would like to be. The bird is also going quickly, and I fell I am going slowly.
« I dream, I am a bird».
«My name is Karam , I am a very happy person and full of dreams.»
That was my first experience with arts, I have never participated in any arts project and I always looked at arts from a far distance and sometimes I did not understand why people do it, and then I had this great opportunity to be coached and guided by a professional who helped me to explore something new and definitely changed my prospective about
arts.
«I am a traveller»
On the left side is my last and current station so far, it is Paris France. I have been here for almost two years now but by far, its the craziest
two years ever, all my life experience and knowledge have been put in test. The culture, people and life style is different from what I lived or encountered before but never the less, very exciting. I am currently
doing my masters and doing my best too !
«Get away from it all»
The stress of an unpleasant environment can cause the feeling of anxious, or sad, or helpless.
Through my portrait I want to show one of life’s secrets, it is nature. Being in nature, or even viewing scenes
of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes me feel better emotionally, it contributes to my physical wellbeing.
In France, I had the opportunity to discover more about nature, changing from depressed, stressed, and anxious to more calm and balanced. In addition nature helps me cope with pain. During my work on this portrait, I tried my best to find ways, tools and ability to express my feelings when I’m in the nature. It is the feeling of bliss that washes over me when I “get away from it all”.
«Nothing is impossible when the human
will exist. I was feeling free and I explain my goal in a sensation way .»
«The heart is green»
On my portrait, on my chest, I represent a green heart that radiates. This color symbolizes for me the power and the will. If the outside world is hostile, I close my eyes and my green heart recharges its batteries. I can say that I find some of my references in manga.
«I want to finally live the
way I want, as the free woman
I will always be.»
When I was asked to do this portrait, and work on it afterwards, I askedmyself about the most important value in my life right now and which Iwant to reflect on my photo. I immediately thought of the value of «Freedom».I went through many life changing experiences in the past few years, and one of the few things that made me think straight is how I value being free. Free of judgments, free of the society that I was trapped in, free of labels and even free in making the decisions that will only affect me. In the end I will keep my faith in myself, I will always fight for my believes and values.
«How music is important in my life»
It was a unique experience for me
I thought that Music (Violin and Singing ) is the only way I can
express myself, but I discovered that I can express my self in a different
way, for sure not in the same level of music.
In the picture I want to show that why I painted a white violin across my
body.
My hands are attached ,
it’s hard to earn your living with
music, my group, all the members
are dispatched in Europ . The
faces are the public all around me
and I hate emptiness.
Doing this project, I was feeling very proud, enthusiastic, full of energy and full of imagination. I was thinking that I can do some thing different ( in a artistic way ) and people can appreciate it. I was expressing my feeling through my words, writing and drawing, maybe for the first time in my life in this particular way.
«I am a man full of words.»
I am a person of high education degree.
I am holding a master degree in Business and Adminstration (MBA).
The portrait is representing my feelings, my thoughts and some how my
imagination. It portray a person with different and positive idea, ambitious
and some one who struggling to find has place among others and
to help others to find their place. I have the capacity to transmit a positive energy.
The link is that my portrait carry a lot of positive information and my
project has also positive objects.
My «PLACE» project is called New-Start. Its information based project which aims to empower refugees and to enhance their knowledge about french society, culture and their own psychological barriers.
«L’exil est la raison de ma métamorphose.»
Non, l’exil ne m’a pas transformé en cancrelat. Mais cela aurait pu advenir ! Mais contrairement au personnage de Gregor Samsa dans la métamorphose de Kafka, qui fut aliéné par le fonctionnement de la société moderne, l’exile m’appelle à considérer mon sort autrement. Je le vois comme une sorte de mutation héritée de mes origines, et avec laquelle j’ai vécu depuis mon enfance. Ma métamorphose ne s’est pas faite dans mon corps, mais dans ma vision du monde. La terre étrangère, souvent considérée par l’être exilé comme un élément inconnu, étrange et symbole de terreur constante, n’a pas eu la même signification pour moi. J’ai traversé cet intervalle, ce passage inéluctable d’un état à l’autre, en essayant d’ouvrir mon esprit et d’accepter ce nouveau monde tel qu’il était. Sans vouloir le transformer, sans chercher à le remplacer par le monde auquel j’appartenais. J’ai choisi d’en faire partie et d’évoluer avec lui. Je pense que c’est la curiosité et la créativité qui m’ont permis d’accepter l’altérité, de comprendre et d’admirer la terre inconnue.
les Quatrains d’Omar Khayyam.
Oublie le jour qui s’est enfui de ton existence. Oublie-le.
Voici la suite:
Oublie demain qui va venir et qui n’est pas encore né. Oublie-le.
Sur ce qui est et qui n’est plus, il est vain que tu réfléchisses.
Ne jette pas ta vie au vent, vis l’instant et oublie-le.
«Generosity and sociabity
of the Sudanese women.»
In the picture I want to talk about the
traditionnal woman of Soudan.
Because in France, people maybe knows
little about Soudan in general and about
Sudanese women in specific. Usually as the
Sudanese women take care of her family and
her house also do not forget to take care of
herself as well.
In this photo I wanted to show what the women wear during a traditionnal wedding. It’s a mix of color and style . They show their feminity specialy during the wedding ceremony. They have a unique traditionnal dress. The colors are very bright and glattering, shinning, happy. She doesn’t forget to style her hair in traditional way as well as wearing a traditional jewerley, neckless and hearings , nose ring and traditionnal henna common in big cities and countryside . A flacon on the left side of the picture is special for ceremony of wedding and the house. It’s basis with a lot of santal. And on the right, homemade unique traditional perfumes for the body.
From my point of view as a doctor, all what the women used to do, bring the good mood and avoid depression
«Here, it’s an another world !»
I wanted to reflect also the generosity and sociabity of the women.
For exemple, normaly, the wedding is from one week to one month, and the guests are not less then one thousand of people. (relatives, friends, neighbors… etc). During this period you well see and feel the very strong social relationship of a Sudanese people. In this ceremony, we used to provide food for all guests in addition to the accomodation and more over the dancing and signing.
«This is my first experience :
touch my photo.»
That why I want to do more.
In the picture, I put texture around the photo because I am a potter.I choose my portrait in black and white. My roots are arabic , and in Soudan there are a lot of differents ethnics, mixed arabic and african and this choice black and white symbolize that.
«Black and white like day and night, big
contrasts, like in Soudan.»
I am very well known as a potter in Soudan, in Kharthoum. And this is a chance to be in France. It’s the first time, I make a sculpture of a head, 20 hours of posing : The head of a friend from Soudan, he is a student in France. In Soudan its’ not formal forbidden to represent the human body but somebody can come at home and destroy it. It’s forbidden in islam religion. It depends of interpretation.
I am a artist, a potter and a sculptor. In France, I discover differents materials like porcelain and new technics like designing pottery or painting pottery. I want to test new styles that I see all around me. That why I want to do more. In the picture, I put texture around the photo because I am a potter I choose my portrait in black and white. My roots are arabic , and in Soudan there are a lot of differents ethnics, mixed arabic and african and this choice black and white symbolize that.