The Photo Academy‎Phototalk 02 : “1000 Shades of Brussels”

This is an ode to this surreal place we call home. According to a recent report, Brussels is the second most diverse city in the world, as more than two-thirds of the population has foreign roots. This project aims to celebrate the incredibly rich social fabric of the city by exploring intimate stories its residents carry within themselves. A Belgian-Algerian retiree and her practice of walking, a Pakistani man’s obsession with cats, a Belgian bilingual 11-year-old with Beninois roots and her expansive life online, an Italian emergency doctor’s day-to-day coping mechanisms, an Ecuadorian mother of three grappling with widowhood...The diversity of these small yet gripping stories, told in the language of the character’s choice, make tangible just how cosmopolitan the city is.

The audio and visuals play o each other, building a narrative that is nuanced, surprising and compelling. These Brusseleirs’ tales of their passions, professions, epiphanies, and practices of everyday life, bust the many stereotypes linked to the city. The humanity of their testimonies speaks to an international audience while retaining a special Brussels flavour.