București

44
French Institute
bulevardul Dacia 77

Under the aegis of the Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs (Ministère de l'Europe et des affaires étrangères), the French Institute of Romania (IFRo) belongs to the French cultural network abroad. The IFRo's mission is to promote cultural, linguistic and academic cooperation, cooperation with institutions and representatives of civil society. Although the first French cultural institution in Romania dates back to 1923, a French Cultural Centre (Centre culturel français) was opened in 1936 in the building located at number 77 on Dacia Boulevard. This was a symbol of Romania's opening to the outside world, it was the last institution to close in 1945 and the first to reopen in 1970 during the relaxation of the communist regime. A number of famous names brought it notoriety, including the directors Paul Henri, Alphonse Dupront and Jean Mouton and the philosopher Roland Barthes, cultural attaché in Bucharest between 1947 and 1949.

Sésame, photographic experience

FOTOGRAFIE


Tip eveniment
DESCHIS si la NAG
Perioada Expozitie
15.09.2022 - 01.10.2022
Artists:
Lucie Moraillon
Curators:
Lucie Moraillon
The Roma community in Sătmărel, a district of Satu Mare municipality, is the largest vulnerable community in the locality. More than 420 people live in this marginalised urban area. Sésame, a multi-annual project created by the STEA Association in partnership with Dialogues en photographie, is a workshop during which the children of Sătmărel, guided by photographer Lucie Moraillon, experience their world through the lens of cameras. Sésame is at the same time a process that gives them the opportunity to tell their stories, to gain self-confidence, to be seen and put in value. The STEA Association is an NGO in Satu Mare working for a world where every child can become a fulfilled adult, regardless of their background. Its aim is to enable vulnerable children to become autonomous and integrate into society. With French partners since its creation in 2004, STEA has received financial support from the French Embassy for its actions to protect children in Romania. The exhibition presents the works created during the Sésame workshops in 2018, 2020 and 2022 and is part of "Affirmation through art: a cultural journey for the Roma minority" - a project implemented by the French Institute of Romania and the Goethe-Institut, with the financial support of the Franco-German Cultural Fund. Lucie Moraillon on Sésame: I introduced them to photography, or rather - to my photography, which allows me to look, to stop, to feel. The one that helps me stay awake. The children of Satmarel opened their doors to me: those of their homes, but especially those of their imagination, their dreams, their sensitivity. And together we created these images. They are theirs, but they are also a little mine, inevitably, because I accompany them every day. Equipped with a Holga camera, this artistic experience invited them to go beyond the confines of their neighbourhood, to contemplate the nearby nature, to dare to meet others and, above all, themselves. Each day was punctuated by moments when they took photos based on a theme and moments when they read the images. Three times in the last four years, I've come for a week to give a group of ten children such an adventure. This exhibition showcases photographs taken during the three editions, each of which is coloured by a special light and energy. They invite us to cross the threshold of their Roma community, a remote and stereotypical place. The children share with us what is most vivid to them: their landscapes, their families, their daily lives. A project by : STEA Association and Dialogues en Photographie Partners: Embassy of France in Romania, French Institute in Romania, Franco-German Cultural Fund, Goethe Institut, Grenoble Isère Roumanie, Solidarité Enfance Roumanie, Grand Lyon
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