CHILDREN

BLANC, BLANC FONCÉ, NOIR CLAIR, NOIR

 

​

Breeds do not exist. From north to south, from east to west, there is only a gradual blending of human traits and types into each other. In Fribourg, there are more than a hundred nationalities and young people from all over the world meet in the streets.

BLANC, BLANC FONCÉ, NOIR CLAIR, NOIR (White, Dark White, Light Black, Black), conceived in 2007 as part of the festivities commemorating the 850th anniversary of the city of Fribourg, consists of creating a human gradation between young "whites" and young "blacks", all students of the orientation cycles of the Zaeringen city. Two photographs, one with twelve girls, the other with twelve boys are presented in the public space.

The project has generated much discussion and overwhelmingly positive reactions. After a few days of exhibition, however, racist and sexist depredations are perpetrated against the images: that of the boys is surmounted by racist remarks, while the faces, breasts and sexes of the "blackest" girls are scratched. In the days following the vandalism, flowers and messages of tolerance are placed at the foot of the photographs.

It is interesting to note that many of the teenagers in the pictures, who come from countries other than Switzerland, have been naturalized and are now asserting themselves as Swiss. Families whose names are Douihou or Matuvangua, for example, are now originally from the canton of Fribourg. It is also interesting to note that in the girls' series, the "blackest" participant is a Swiss woman while the "whitest" is a Portuguese woman, proof if any were needed that in a globalized world where exchanges are accelerating, the crossbreeding is not about to stop.

​

​

​

​

With de participation of:

​

Girls' series, from left to right :
Tracy Matuvangua, from Fribourg, Switzerland
Gaëlle-Laure Toki, from Uige, Angola
Hélène Neto Paiva, from Luanda, Angola
Stephania Dos Santos, from Saint Vicente, Cape Verde
Carole Braillard, from Sottens and Moudon, Switzerland
Deniz Barcedogmus, from Fribourg, Switzerland
Antonella Masdea, from Filadelfia Vibo Valentia, Italy
Nadine Da Cruz, from Trancoso-Guarda, Portugal
Johanne Clément, from Épendes, Switzerland
Stéphanie Ayer, from Sorens, Switzerland
Marina De Palma, from Benevento, Italy
Vanessa Inteiro Ramires, from Coimbra, Portugal

Boys' series, from left to right
Emmanuel Mvogo, from Yaoundé, Cameroon
Gaëtan Mbengi, from Villars-sur-Glâne, Switzerland
Claudio Ngudiavita,  from Luanda, Angola
Tomé Anongba, from La Coruña, Spain
Baptiste Tarasi, from La Verrerie, Switzerland
Rahul Chowdhury, from Moulovi Bazaar, Bangladesh
Stéphane Laufer, from Le Locle, Switzerland
Marwan Douihou, from Corminboeuf, Switzerland
Yannis Raptis, from Epirus, Greece
Michaël Quarta, from Ferpicloz, Switzerland
Ilir Aliji, from Serbinova, Macedonia
Florian Michel, from Guggisberg, Switzerland

 

BLANC, BLANC FONCÉ, NOIR CLAIR, NOIR is the winner of the creation competition launched by the City of Fribourg on the occasion of its 850th anniversary.

 

​

​

 

​

 

​

​

​

​

​