The project
This project aims to raise awareness of a situation that is often dramatic, happening all around us, yet usually reduced to summer news headlines when no one is watching TV, or to slogans of political parties that undermine the foundations of human rights.
The project consists of a novel and a street guide through which the stories of some individuals are shared. Although their names have been changed for privacy and protection, they live and exist within the “concrete forest” of the dormitory neighbourhoods on the outskirts of a city like Sabadell.
The novel and the street guide
The novel tells the story of David, a 21-year-old white boy born in Sabadell who is about to finish his degree, and with it, hundreds of doubts about what to do next once his academic life comes to an end. One day, he crosses paths with Lamine, a boy of the same age, born in Gambia, who spends his days roaming the streets of the neighbourhood with a shopping trolley, collecting metals and cardboard for later sale, and with whom David begins a friendship.
On the other hand, the Street Guide offers the reader a journey through the streets where the story takes place, highlighting different landmarks that reveal the human side of this reality.
The Portraits
From a phrase that came up during a conversation with other young men, where they were talking about how difficult it sometimes is to find an apartment or a job, someone jokingly said, "they see us all the same, they think we're always the same person", Moustapha replied "they think we're all the same because they never look us in the eyes".
That phrase, together with the commitment to preserve everyone's anonymity, inspired the idea of creating portraits in which only the subjects' eyes would be retained, resulting in five distinct portraits.
Acknowledgements
Ahmed · Alba Paleo · Andoni Gómez · Antoni Mañach · Ayuntamiento de Sabadell · Ayuntamiento de Tarifa · Buba · Caterina Alves · CFA Creu de Barberà · Cristina Real · Eduardo Huerta · Encarna Ruíz · Eva Morral · IES La Románica · Isabel Evangelista · Jaime Sabaté · Lalo Quintana · Lamin · Laura García Hernández · Laura Morral · Lluís Coll · Maia Creus · Maja Cecuk · Mamadou · Maribel Yepes · María · Mohamed · Mustapha · Mónica Morral · Nerea Navarro · Noé Morral · Nuha · Oriol Alonso · Raúl Morral · Samba D. · Samba · SCAI Sabadell · Silvia Escursell · Tania López · Tidiane · Vapor Llonch Sabadell · Vieux · Yankuba