For six months, the youngsters were invited to visit several different museums, take in the works of art, discuss them with professionals in the sector and find out about their professions, as well as participate in writing and arts workshops. On the strength of these experiences, they brainstormed around the idea of intimacy in the world today – between lock-down and social networks – and how that notion is represented in art.
The young people then selected 26 works of art from different cultural institutions (the Louvre, the Hauts-de-France museums, etc.), that portrayed intimacy from three different angles: domestic, contemplative and how the outside world abruptly invades intimacy.
The teams at the Louvre-Lens all rallied to provide support to these new curators. Students from the universities in Lille and Artois also shared their knowledge in scenography, writing, expography, etc. Other territorial structures such as l’École de la 2e Chance in Artois were also associated with the organization of the exhibition. At the inauguration in December last year, the youngsters proposed guided tours to visitors.
Through its priority focus area, Cultural Dialogue and Heritage, TotalEnergies Foundation endeavors to help young people in socially vulnerable situations find fulfillment, in particular through the arts. The initiative by the Louvre-Lens Museum gives young people affected by insecurity to become players in a large-scale cultural project. An experience that gives them self-confidence, opens new perspectives, enables them to learn new skills (teamwork, oral expression, creativity, independence, etc.), and in the end, contributes to their integration in the world of work.
