We Are 17 (21st Century) starts from the series of portrait photographs We Are 17 (1955) by the renowned Dutch director and photographer Johan van der Keuken which documented the experiences of 17-year-olds, capturing a complex picture of European society in 1955, in -a changing social and cultural context. A visual testament and a source of inspiration for the project that aims to create a photographic portrait of Europe today, to promote the art of photography. We Are 17 (21st Century) - will be a dialogue between cultures and generations that will reflect on the changes in European society in the last 70 years (1955-2025).
Young participants will be guided by portrait photography professionals, learn about the narrative potential of photography and develop ways of artistic expression through photography. They will photograph people of the same age and people who are part of Van der Keuken's generation (born in the 30s-40s). The photos will be accompanied by the personal stories of the participants and will be displayed in a joint exhibition. The aim of the project is to encourage dialogue and create portraits of the two generations. The program will be complemented by a visual education program.
This project is part of the national cultural programme "Timișoara European Capital of Culture in the year 2023" and is financed by the Power Station+ program | Creative schools, run by the Center for Projects Timișoara, with amounts allocated from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Culture.