Art as a tool of inclusion. 

The artist’s gaze has an extraordinary power. It is capable of going beyond the schemes of the dominant culture. Break down walls and prejudices. But above all, it can free narrow horizons from too many prevailing ideas and show what often nobody talks about.

Photo FFG

The most important lesson I learned doing photography was that to train, shoot, shoot and shoot again was not sufficient to get a good shot, but that what prevailed was to “re-educate the gaze”, opening it to multiple points of view and trying to observe the world in a more authentic and profound way.

How India first blinded and then freed my eyes.

Leaving for India was the most visual and inclusive experience of my life.

Like most photography enthusiasts, the main reason that prompted me to leave was the search for color.

Photo FFG

Once I set foot in New Delhi, however, I realized that what I was looking for was much more.

India crosses your eyes and heart. It is a country full of strong contrasts, but also one of the few able to fascinate you with its extraordinary beauty and at the same time “disturb” with the conditions of extreme poverty in which the entire population lives. The first days were the most difficult. My western eyes saw only misery, dirt and injustice. Then, as if by magic, they “unlocked” and were able to see the extraordinary humanity, dignity and spirituality of which the country is truly rich.

Photo FFG

From the thousands of photos taken during my last trip to India, the photographic project “Graces” was born, brought to the halls of Palazzo Farnese on March 8th 2013, on the occasion of the exhibition “Parlons d’Elle” to reflect on women’s issues.

It was during that event that I met Doris, an art lover who was so touched by my reportage that she decided to buy a photo on display.

Photo FFG

My participation at “Together We Art”.

It was “thanks” to that photo that Doris and I became friends, staying in touch for many years, until last year when I received an invitation from her to participate in the fund raising exhibition “Together We Art” where I donated one of my photos to the Life Project 4 Youth association of Laure and John Delaporte, an extraordinary couple who chose to leave everything and dedicate their lives to all young adults without hope and opportunities.

Poster

I called the photo “Hope”, precisely because hope is what young people need to elevate their lives, move away from conditions of suffering and free themselves from the invisible chains of indifference.

Photo FFG “Hope”

Laure and John’s new life.

Laure and John, the founders of LP4Y, are two people of great humanity and courage.

Photo FFG – John and Laure Delaporte

A large family, like most French families are, but completely different from all traditional families. Despite five children, an excellent social position and a well-established marketing company, Laure and John at one point in their lives felt a feeling of “urgency” to do something important for others too.

To better understand what to do and what new direction to give to their existence, they decided to “leave everything” and go around the world.

As they told me, it was during their research journey that they discovered what they call “the indecent world”, populated by young people living in conditions of extreme poverty, cut off from the future of Society.

Photo LP4Y

The data they have shown me is alarming: over 700 million young people have no education, no work and no access to health care.

They are hopeless young adults.

Photo LP4Y

Back from their long journey, Laure and John understood what they had to do for them: to transfer their experience, knowledge and professional tools to help them “make it on their own” and get out of that “informal world” made of suffering and social exclusion.

Restore self-esteem and hope for the future through work.

Thanks to the projects carried out by LP4Y all over the world, especially in Asia, America and Europe, today 72% of these young adults have finally managed to be integrated into formal society.

The objective of the association is in fact to develop innovative solutions for the professional and social integration of young people in extreme poverty, who could never have access to the formal economic world without the professional coaching offered by LP4Y.

Photo LP4Y

Sustainability is the keyword. It is a question of balancing economic resources to give equal opportunities to all and to allow those who are most disadvantaged to find a place in society, making them independent to create their own future.

Photo LP4Y

A sentence from John struck me when he told me about these young adults:

“In every young person you meet in the slums you can discover an extraordinary charge of energy. If you help them turn it on and give them the right opportunity, they can shine and be even better than us.”

The little shoe shiners of Dakar.

During the “Together We Art” exhibition Laure told me how LP4Y was born:

“It was the encounter with the little shoe shiners of Dakar that changed our lives. They always approached John who discussed with them and gave them advice to improve their “small business”, such as selling laces. They never asked for money, but for advice on how to take advantage of life’s opportunities, do better”.

This event laid the foundations on which Laure and John built their project, in fact, as Laure herself specified to me during the interview:

“We are not in the humanitarian field, but in co-construction, we talk a lot about the ecosystem, about the isolation of these young people… we come from the business world, not from the social sector, to bring a true dimension of “business” to them.

Photo FFG – Laure Delaporte

Find her full interview (in French) by clicking this link

The “second Life” of John.

In his interview John tells me what it means for him to try to re-invent the world, building a more sustainable society based on the balance of opportunities:

“Life is super generous. I have lived 11 months a year, for 13 years, with very poor people… but look, it’s not a sad thing… it is for those who do nothing, but for those who open their hearts it becomes an opportunity: to be happy thanks to the understanding of the needs of the planet, which is nothing but the balance between all. We are all human, on the same level, you have to put your heart into your life”       

And to do so, John lives next to them, in the slums, to understand them better, to share their suffering and to concretely help them out of their difficult situation.

Photo FFG – John Delaporte

Click here to see John’s interview (in English)

The amazing story of Raisa.

I was impressed by the naturalness and enthusiasm of a young Bangladeshi girl who works as a coach for LP4Y: Raisa.

A clean face and a contagious smile: Raisa is a true “catalyst” of LP4Y’s message, capable not only of motivating, but also of drawing and stimulating young people to take control of their own lives and to redesign their future.

In Bangladesh she opened a Green Village where she helped many young women between the ages of 18 and 24 who came from unfavorable backgrounds to regain self-esteem by guiding, encouraging and supporting them in realizing their dreams and professional projects.

Photo FFG – Raisa

To see her interview (in English) you can click this link.

Art = Heart

Talking about Art, John gave me a very interesting insight:

“in Buddhism they say that it takes 7 perspectives to get to know a person well, Art is the most beautiful way to study these various perspectives”.

This is how the idea of ​​”Together We Art” was born, a traveling charity exhibition which, after New York and Paris, also landed in Rome for the first time on November 17th in the halls of Palazzo Velli in Trastevere.

An event that involved numerous national and international artists who decided to embrace the cause of LP4Y by donating their works with the intention of raising the necessary funds to help young people supported by the association to walk towards a better future.

Justin Bradshaw

Being among them was an emotional experience for me, because I had the opportunity thanks to the work of Laure and John to meet people of great artistic sensitivity, united by the desire to change the world together and make it a better place.

Benedikt Zeitwille

I want to dedicate this weekend to those young adults trying to build their future.

Let’s open our eyes and hearts.

Today is FRAday!

Photo FFG