Six years ago, French photographer movie maker and photographer John Thackwray launched the 'My Room Project': an attempt to gain insight into different lifestyles and cultures by interviewing young people from all over the world and photographing them in their apartments.
More of the author's works can be seen at his website where you can also learn more about his book which is due out by the end of the year.
The goal of Thackwray's work, according to him, is to raise awareness about "inequalities impacting humankind", such as poverty, violence, lack of education and violation of women's rights.
Above: ROOM#024 – JOSEPH – 30years old – Artist – Paris - France
Above: ROOM#024 – JOSEPH – 30years old – Artist – Paris - France
"ROOM#192 - ANDREEA - 24years old - Civil Engineer - Bucharest - Roumania"
"ROOM#205 - GULLÉ - 29years old - Actress - Istanbul - Turkey"
During the project, Thackwray interviewed the participants (all of them his peers, i.e. people born in the 1980s and 1990s) about their lives and the problems they have to face, along with issues like violence, poverty, religion, women's rights and the environment.
Above: ROOM#219 - MALEEQ - 28years old - Entertainer - New York - Unated States
Above: ROOM#219 - MALEEQ - 28years old - Entertainer - New York - Unated States
"ROOM#256 - RYOKO - 25years old – IT Engineer - Tokyo – Japan"
"ROOM#290 - YUAN - 22years old – Seller- Dali – China"
"ROOM#313 - FHA - 20years old - Fermière - Ban Saingam - Thailand"
"ROOM#348 - ASHA - 17years old -Housewife - Bamansemilya - India"
According to Thackwray, it took him more time to convince people to let him do a photo session at their homes that to do the shooting itself.
Above: "ROOM#385 - PEMA - 22years old - Buddhism Student - Katmandu – Nepal"
Above: "ROOM#385 - PEMA - 22years old - Buddhism Student - Katmandu – Nepal"
"ROOM#416 - OLEG - 24years old - Telecom Engineer - Novosibirsk – Russia"
"I'm using social networks, working with several local NGOs, and sometimes asking directly in the street, which is rare, because it can be too dangerous in some communities.In every new country I need to establish quickly a safe network of trusted people who understand what I'm doing, and are ready to help me," Thackwray said.
Above: "ROOM#458 - ZHALAY - 18years old - High School - Zhanbyl – Kazakhstan"
Above: "ROOM#458 - ZHALAY - 18years old - High School - Zhanbyl – Kazakhstan"
"ROOM#466 - ÉLAHÉ - 29years old - Painter - Téhéran– Iran"
"ROOM#561 - BEN - 22years old - Movie Student - Dallas - United States"
"ROOM#665 - MARCELLO - 18years old - High School - La Paz - Bolivia"
"I would say that inequalities and ignorance are the main scourges of humanity. And something important in my mind is that we shouldn't forget is that it's today's youth who is designing the world of tomorrow," Thackwray said.
Above: ROOM#711 - CLAUDIO - 24ans -Archiviste - Rio - Brésil
Above: ROOM#711 - CLAUDIO - 24ans -Archiviste - Rio - Brésil
"ROOM#807 - MOHAMED - 18years old - Saint Catherine -Egypt"
"ROOM#867 - EZEKIEL - 22years old - Guerrier - Echo Manyata - Kenya"
"The My Room Project is the fruit of a long process.I made the project over a period of 6 years, step by step.I was curious about lifestyle and culture, about how the world is mutating faster and faster," Thackwray said.
Above: ROOM#915 - JOSEE - 22ans - Etudiante en comptabilité - Kigali - Rwanda
Above: ROOM#915 - JOSEE - 22ans - Etudiante en comptabilité - Kigali - Rwanda
"ROOM#1049 - OSIA - 18years old - Shepherd - Ha Selomo - Lesotho"
"ROOM#1093 - SABRINA - 27years old - Kinder garden - Shatila - Lebanon"
