Recently I visited the exhibition "BIRTH DAY" by the Belgian photographer Lieve Blancquaert. It is part of a big project - the round-the-world journey of a mother, photographer and journalist searching for the answer to the questions: ”Why do we bring children into the world today? What does it mean to be born in a particular place in the world?
In each location Lieve stepped into a maternity ward and so literally into the life of the baby and its family, meeting the mothers during one of the most emotional events of their lives: the birth of their child. But she also talked with family members, visiting their homes, taking part in in festivals and rituals, travelling to special places and events that told her more about the culture in which the child will grow up.
Lieve Blancquaert worked two years on this project, visiting 14 locations around the world. A mix of rich and poor, and of cultures, religions and communities. We see enormous differences: from very primitive conditions due to extreme poverty (i.e. in Africa) to mega-rich Kuweit, where the newly mother is treated as a princess in her 5 star hotel/hospital room …
Aside from a unique selection of large format photos, she also captures the diverse and amazing stories into a documentary series for television. Some excerpts shown at the exhibition were very captivating.
Most compelling was the harsh situation of some families in my own city, Brussels. Families with (little) children living in extreme poverty, in an unhygienic, unsafe, squat. Unbelievable this exists in a so-called western welfare state!
Even more poignant is the fact that this building have been evacuated a couple of days ago by police force in a coarse way … putting (some illegal) people on the street and families in temporary transition housing … just when winter is around the corner.
Beauty of the photos next to harsh reality … life is unfair ...
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