For 12 days in July this year, 120 young people gathered in Podgorica, Montenegro to work with a local community to build a socio-cultural space in a former empty building. During these warm and energetic summer days, The Pomorandza space transformed from a formerly abandonend ground level and basement of an appartment building into a space where local inhabitants are now able to meet and organise events.

As part of my internship with the organisation, I was given the space to develop an autonomous visual project that would capture this period. There were two key elements to the work. On the one hand, trying to capture a project in which so many different glimpses and experiences are present, making it impossible to do so through the eyes of one sole photographer. I provided several analog cameras that were available to all participants in order to capture their experience. Later on, more footage made by smartphones and other digital camera's were sent to me. All of these images were included in the essay.

The second, to portray all the intimate things which were happening besides the physical activity of building. Connecting, cooking, experiencing joy, laughter and fatigue, dancing, gathering, talking, and so on. The project, as versatile as it is at heart, wouldn't be possible without all those small gestures made by each person participating.


Autonomous project made during my internship with the organisation,
2023

Zgrada Pomorandza