In the city of Frankfurt in Germany, Jungleye association brought together two polarised groups of teenagers, aged between fourteen to seventeen. Some are German students in school. Others are migrants – asylum seekers, who have been in Germany for two years. They are currently involved in the slow process of integration to the local community.
For one week, they worked on the topic of « Photofit ». This facial composition was originally used as an investigation tool by law enforcement for facial regnition. Within the framework of the workshop the Photofit technique is subverted in order to give a new identity to those who felt they had lost it whilst fleeing their country: photographers deconstruct and then reconstruct the image of their face, to create a new ID. The photographs taken are then used as a tool for intercultural conflict resolution and social cohesion by allowing space for dialogue about image and identity. This particular technique of portraiture is also a way to confront obstacles regarding privacy rights for unaccompanied youth.
This facial mix and the process of creation through photo collages gave these two groups of teenagers the opportunity to connect on a constructive basis of exchanging ideas and impressions. A new character is created blending a stare, an Afghan nose, a Syrian-German mouth. In this activity, the mismatching and mistake are well received, emblematic of the merging of different cultures and at the same time of the scars of personal experiences. In Frankfurt, slowly the stories of participants combined and intertwined, and curiosity to learn from others experience fostered. Alike the game Exquisite Corpse, a new European identity is created in group, merging emotions, memories and imagination.
