Faces of Europe – next stop Europe!
An extraordinary project is leading photo artist Carsten Sander through all EU member states. His mission: 1000 portraits of Europeans with a wide variety of ethnic and social backgrounds. The project is part of the cultural program of the German EU Council Presidency.
Sander photographs celebrities, politicians, athletes, people he happens to meet on the street – all on an equal footing. 1000 Faces of the European Union is a demonstration of European sentiments, a work on peaceful coexistence, tolerance and shared values. In a contemporary way, the project focuses on the humanity, emotionality and visionary power of the European idea. It goes through all of Europe – from Dublin to Bilbao, from Riga to Athen.
Sander wants to illustrate what connects and differentiates by means of photos and personal statements on the importance of Europe. At selected locations on Sander’s journey, his project team documents European protagonists using audio and video interviews. This creates a post-national panorama of European horizons of experience and shared values. The artist’s vision is to mobilize Europeans with the project to actively engage with the European idea.
The cycle of exhibitions started with the start of the presidency in the Brussels Council building (Justus Lipsius). Other planned exhibition locations include Strasbourg, Madrid, Luxembourg, Dublin, Warsaw, Berlin, Munich, Shanghai or Moscow. The exhibitions are accompanied by a comprehensive illustrated book and a discursive catalog. In addition, media formats such as podcasts, talks, interview series and a social media campaign enrich the project.
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