Charleroi

“For many years, I’ve visited Belgium as a place for inspiration. Particularly the old mining town of Charleroi (once unjustly named the ugliest city in Europe) captured my heart, due to the many scars that reveal the city’s contrasting history, and later especially because of its inhabitants, the Carolos, as they proudly call themselves. The prejudices stubbornly resting on the city remained unconfirmed for me, quite the opposite. The residents, often portrayed as aggressive and dangerous, turned out to be warm, hospitable, and above all proud people who granted me access to their personal lives without expectations or suspicion. I was amazed at the ease with which people allowed themselves to be photographed in their own ‘Pays Noir’. Each time I returned to Charleroi, I sought out the people I had previously photographed to hand over the framed photos. The reactions to this were emotional and heartwarming. The Carolos felt seen, understood, and proud. Charleroi is a city often misunderstood by those who pass by or through it because they judge the city solely based on what they see and therefore don’t take the effort to discover the beauty that actually lies within it. What one sees in another often says more about the observer than about the one who is (not) seen. For me, the Carolos are the colourful soul of the black land. Hence the title of this project: Les Carolos, l’Âme du Pays Noir.”