NOUMÉA, NOUVELLE-CALÉDONIE 11 Portraits - October 2015

Confronter le regard des nouméens et la destruction des maisons coloniales en collant leurs portraits sur les ruines des maisons détruites.
En tant que jeunes et en tant que Nouméens, nous considérons que les maisons coloniales font partie de l’Histoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, mais surtout de la vie quotidienne et du cœur de ses habitants.
Pourtant, chaque année, de nombreuses maisons sont détruites, à Nouméa comme ailleurs.
Le but de ce projet est donc d’attirer l’attention de tous, élus, maires, riverains, calédoniens, sur la destruction de ce patrimoine unique, en collant des photos de nouméens sur les ruines des maisons coloniales détruites.
C’est avec le regard et l’impertinence de la jeunesse qui est l’héritière de cette histoire que nous commençons ce projet, Inside Out – Sur les murs des maisons coloniales.
Nous qui sommes les citoyens de demain, nous espérons que cette action permettra une prise de conscience, afin que 150 ans de notre Histoire ne soit pas réduits à néant par quelques coups de pelleteuse et qu’ils puissent être transmis aux générations futures.

TARTU, ESTONIA 38 Portraits - june 2015

Our idea was to draw the attention to minoities and different subcultures, different people in Tartu - as there are some emotional issues regarding minorities in Estonia then this would be an idea to bring forth through photos of ordinary people from different social and subcultural groups from Tartu. Our aim is to show, that intolerance is nothing to tolerate and Tartu is a welcoming town for each individual.

MULHOUSE, FRANCE 750 Portraits - Juin 2016

On the 28th of September, the 'Place de la réunion' in Mulhouse transformed into a giant artwork thanks to the participation of 750 students. Just as many portraits of young people were pasted on the floor, offering habitants of Mulhouse 900m2 of sharing, tolerance and diversity.

- How did your Inside Out action go?
It was amazing, students wanted to (and did!) prove their motivation to carry through their project. A beautiful human experience at school.
- What was the impact of your action?
Passers-by were surprised to see their portraits pasted to the ground. Most of the time, they didn't dare to walk on it.
- Do you have any advice for future participants?
Go for it without letting yourselves intimidated by the scale of the project; there are no issues, only solutions!

SAN SALVADOR, SAN VICENTE, CHALATENANGO, EL MOZOTE, CABANAS, EL SALVADOR 128 Portraits - Mid Noverber 2015

By the end of 12 years of civil war (1980-1992) over 75,000 people had been murdered and more than 10,000 had been “disappeared”, never to be heard from again. It is those people, their memory, and the families that have lost them, that we will try to bring to life with these photographs.
Today in El Salvador demands are being made to repeal the amnesty law, to investigate and punish those responsible for the serious violations of human rights that occurred during the armed conflict. The creation a Reparations Law, as well as comprehensive health and housing, a pension based on a minimum monthly salary and study scholarships for sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters of The Disappeared are being sought. As well, concretes projects, technical and vocational training and the creation of a network of museums about historical memory are all part of a plan to compensate and remember the losses suffered by so many.
We hope the photographs we produce will be a small contribution to help guarantee that this violations of human rights not be forgotten, nor happen again.

- How was your experience with Inside Out?
Working with Inside Out Was a wonderful experience. Everyone there was always helpful, patient and encouraging.
Overall it was an exceptional project to have taken on and seen through to completion.
I guess if I had to say which my “favorite” part was it was meeting with the community members that had
gone through such terrible trauma, to experience their gratitude.

- What was the impact of your group action? How did people react?
Though thousands of people did see the portraits and were reminded of the era of forced disappearances and death. There were also quite a lot of news coverage, which is to say thousand of people in El Salvador, who did not see the action first hand, did see the portraits on television.
The action took place at a time of national debate about the question of “Forced Disappearances” so action did have an impact nation wide.
- Do you have any advice for future group action leaders?
No matter what the obstacle, preserver. From the initial conception to action, over 3 years passed, but it was all worth it.

- What is the best story or quote you collect from your action?
There was one pretty funny experience.
We had gotten up at 4 in the morning to drive many hours through the city to a location very far off the beaten path. We had our car LOADED with people and photographic equipment. We stopped very briefly to navigate a particularly rough patch of road. We all got out to lighten the load. When the driver go back in to start back up the hill, we found the car would not move. Any number of folks from the community came out to try and help us get the car going again. Nothing, no phones, no mechanics, no tow trucks. And we had a whole community of people waiting for us to come take their portraits. We figured we had better unload all the equipment, and start walking, or hitch some rides in an attempt to get to the location. Someone, at the last moment, suggested we check the emergency brake. And sure enough, that was the problem. It was released and we were on our way.

CAIRO , EGYPT 24 Portraits - March 2016

We hope this campaign shows to the people that even the most serious people have their quirks and encourage people to loosen up and stop judging others for their differences.

- How was your experience with Inside Out?
The highlight of this project would definitely be the people's reactions, since this action was done at an international school in Cairo, my group and I didn't announce anything about this project to any other students. Thus, the student's reaction on a early Sunday morning, seeing some of their pictures hung on a school wall at a large scale was definitely the highlight. People at the beginning didn't understand anything, and I kept on seeing snaps on Snapchat of the wall with question marks on it and so on, and then we shared the statement and everyone understood the project and were amazed.

- What was the impact of your group action? How did people react?
People actually reacted positively towards the project, since the project tackled a very important issue common between High School students but in a different form. Therefore, the fact that this issue was tackled in a different method grabbed the people's attention and actually had an impact.

- Do you have any advice for future group action leaders?
Take expressive photos in high quality, they are the best.

DES MOINES, WA, UNITED STATES 28 Portraits - May 2016

Recognizing Mount Rainier High School as a place where different people from various ethnicities come to create one singular community, and by portraying young individuals and their messages, we wish to create one singular and understanding community.

- How was your experience with Inside Out?
I enjoyed every aspect of my project. My highest point was when I received the rolled up, large inside out posters. That point made me happy because, I realized that my idea has come to fruition and I knew that the final phase, showing it off to my city was going to be a success. The low points were not finding people to help paste the posters. However, at the end, once the posters were posted, people in my community started appreciating it. They would stop walking and take a long look at all the posters, people waiting for traffic lights would look out their windows to look at the posters. people would also tell me that the posters were good conversation starters and that they enjoyed having it in our community.

- What was the impact of your group action? How did people react?
I didn't live very close to where the posters were posted but whenever I go to the cite to check on them, I would see people looking at it and nodding, people seemed interested. Others would take a look at the posters while in traffic. People had told me that looking at the pictures made them happy. And people who knew about The Inside Out Project thought it was neat that Des Moines, a small city close to Seattle was a part of a global project. I've also received some written comments from the city's blog and on the paper I had the purpose of the project written on. Overall people seemed to like it and appreciate its presence in our community.

- Do you have any advice for future group action leaders?
The inside out people are supper helpful. And if you have an idea to make the world a better place just do an inside out project about it.

- What is the best story or quote you collect from your action?
Before I started to asked him questions, one of the boys in the posters knew what he wanted the world to know about him " An Asian with an afro!"

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA 125 Portraits - 08 de Octubre del 2016

Memorias del Parche aims to promote through writing and photograph workshops, claim and immortalization of everyday practices that often has been forgotten. We have managed to sensitize young people about the positive impact that could generate photography and the questions that may surge and cause their own faces in order to reconcile with their generation.

- How was your experience with Inside Out?
It was wonderful because the people of Ciudad Jardín neighborhood was happy and surprise. The impact was really positive. We considerate that it is possible to transform a space with art. The faces are the singularity of each one, the look is the best way for us to have tools in order to change our society. Inside Out Project was confortable and friendly. we feel very happy for to make this possible.

- What was the impact of your group action? How did people react?
Very happy. Because we can transforme the spaces. The impact was very positive and recovery the "popular culture"!

- Do you have any advice for future group action leaders?
Only recommend to believe that it's possible to make projects.

- What is the best story or quote you collect from your action?
In general, people of the community were very happy when we installed the photographs. Then we noticed that some people do not enjoy to be near of the others. Some photos were attacked and we realized that many make territoriality in the area.

St Jean de Moirans, France, 50 portraits

Nos élèves passent généralement quatre années au sein du collège, âge auquel ils évoluent et apprennent beaucoup. L'établissement est à taille humaine, au centre d'un village calme mais où il se passe beaucoup de choses, culturellement et humainement parlant. Nous les voyons arriver à 10-11 ans, sortant de l'enfance et entrant dans cette grande aventure inconnue et parfois effrayante qu'est l'adolescence, un entre-deux âges, passage progressif vers l'âge adulte. Ce moment est plein de remises en questions, de doutes, de choix parfois difficiles mais constructifs dans lesquels nous, adultes, les accompagnons. Ils ont (ou pas) une vision de leur avenir, qui n'est certes pas figée, mais qui peut représenter un idéal, qu'ils concrétiseront peut-être…
Leur expression sur ces portraits exprime leur sentiment face à leur avenir proche ou plus lointain. Un panel de visages exprimant des émotions différentes, selon qu'ils voient cet avenir de façon positive, négative, ou incertaine… Une façon de les rendre petit à petit autonomes, pour continuer leur chemin grandis et positifs. Leurs visages s'effaceront progressivement pour signifier l'idée de leur passage dans nos murs, pour ensuite suivre chacun leur propre chemin ailleurs; chemin que nous leur souhaitons plein de lumière ! Bonne route à eux...

- Comment s'est déroulé votre action Inside Out?
Un enthousiasme communicatif des élèves, parents et enseignants.
Tous, passants y compris, n'avaient que des éloges sur les photographies et le projet créé par JR. Cela a eu un impact très positif dans le village.

- Quel a été l'impact de votre action?
Les élèves photographiés ont été surpris de se voir en si gros plan dans la rue devant leur collège, mais ils étaient également très fiers !
Les élèves de 3ème, revenus pour la remise de leur diplôme du Brevet, ont pu se voir (ainsi que leurs parents), concrétisant le fait que les élèves prennent ensuite leur envol vers leur propre avenir. Ils nous ont retrouvés pour un moment convivial, mais les yeux brillants de bonheur de s'émanciper dorénavant au lycée.

- Avez-vous rencontré des difficultés pendant la réalisation du projet? Si oui, comment les avez-vous résolues?
Problème lié à la matérialité de l'un des deux murs, vieux et avec beaucoup d'aspérités. Nous avons dû recoller plusieurs fois certains posters, qui se décollaient trop vite. L'ensemble a tenu environ 3 semaines, en extérieur, avec deux ou trois jours de pluie.

- Avez-vous des conseils a donner aux futurs participants?
Sur un plan purement technique, bien expliquer aux encolleurs de supprimer les bulles d'air, qui une fois gorgées d'eau de pluie, font décoller les posters plus rapidement.
Avec l'enthousiasme, ils ont collé assez vite, laissant trop d'air sous les posters.

- L'histoire la plus touchante ou la phrase la plus marquante au sujet de votre action Inside Out?
""Ils sont beaux ces enfants."
"C'est magnifique, bravo pour ce projet."
"C'est une très bonne idée. Dommage que ça ne puisse pas rester longtemps…"