Les Cracks & Vincen Beeckman: One pair of eyes, two perspectives

"Les Cracks & Vincen Beeckman" is the first museum exhibition of the images of René, Franck, Jackie, Patti and other homeless people who photographed their everyday life, their relationships, ups and downs, parties and friendships.

The title "Les Cracks", coined by Beeckman, refers to the slang term "crack", which means something like "champion".

From 2015 to 2020, the group took around 750 photos.

Together with René, Franck, Jackie, Patti and Vincen, the team from the Museum Folkwang Photographic Collection selected around 30 photographs and staged them in the exhibition room.

Fara Phoebe Zetzsche

picture editor.

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René, Franck, Jackie, Patti and Vincen were present at the exhibition opening on February 18th in Museum Folkwang and answered the following questions about their project.

The interview will be published in the language conducted.

​Questions for “Les Cracks”

Was it your first time taking photos or did you already have any experience?

René:

"It was the first time I took pictures.

I just had one experience of photography before with an association."

Franck

: "Vincen gave us cameras and I didn't take any pictures before for an artistic project.

This was the first time."

Jackie:

"Yes it was the first time and it was fantastic, I love to look at these photographs."

Patti:

"3 years ago, I took the first photograph and I was surprised to look at life as an observer."

What is photography for you?

René:

"It is a memory to never forget."

Jackie:

"A photograph is a memory.

It makes us remember all our friends.

Most of all the ones who left us too soon."

Franck

: "Photographs are images, meomries, WE - people from the street - We can show ourselves in a museum like this, it feels incredible."

Patti: "

A kind of magic to capture the moment you are feeling."

How did you experience observing others and being behind a camera?

Did it change your point of view?

René:

"It didn't change my own point of view, but it changes the way the people look at us because they realize our true situation."

Jackie:

"When you see the others every day, you don't realize the situation.

Taking photographs changes your way of looking.

You see the situation we are in differently and with clarity.”

Franck

: "This is a crazy experience and the book got me a lot of happiness.

To have now the opportunity to show our lives to others and to explain how we live in the streets with the exhibition is very important."

Patti: "

No, it didn't change me, because I am just like them.

I used to be homeless myself and that way I included in these photographs on both sides of the camera."

What was important for you while editing the images and putting together an exhibition?

René:

"What is important to me is to exhibit them publicly, to present the pictures to society and to express ourselves.

I am very proud of the exhibition."

Jackie:

"I wanted to put the picture of Chris in a huge size, he is my friend and also, I chose the color yellow on the wall, in order to make it more attractive, like bees, like the sun."

Franck: "

We did the exhibition design all together with Jackie, for the selection and editing we chose the images we like and that matter the most."

Patti:

"It is very important that the people can understand what life is like on the street."

How did this project surprise you?

Jackie:

"I never came to this kind of museum, it is unbelievable."

Franck:

"The project surprised me, I didn't expect traveling, I never thought I was going to travel to Germany.

The book contains moments of life and is like a Family Album and the exhibition is beautiful to see the images so big.

The museum is gorgeous and to be exhibited alongside such great artists as Renoir, Gaugin, … brings a lot of appreciation.”

Which question should be asked concerning the project which wasn´t asked yet?

Jackie:

"I wanted to thank Vincen, Nadine and Thomas without whom the project couldn't have happened."

Patti:

"If we are planning for a Second Project "Cracks II"?

If the people want to see and know more?"

Questions for Vincen Beeckman

How did you get the idea to do this project and what does it mean for you?

Vincen: "

The project began with the idea to give the voice to the homeless people."

What is the most beautiful outcome that derived from "Les Cracks & Vincen Beeckman"?

Vincen: "

The fact that they decide the format, the composition, the color on the wall and that they could travel to Essen."

Where and to whom else would you like to show "Les Cracks & Vincen Beeckman" after the exhibition at Folkwang?

Vincen:

"They would like to show the exhibition in many cities, Berlin Tokyo, Paris and Los Angeles, but it is not easy."

How did this project inspire your own photography?

Vincen:

“This project influenced me a lot in the way of taking pictures.

Very direct and simple, without complex framing.

As simple and immediate, as a picture taken by a grandmother or a child... I try to “copy” this fantastic direct way of taking images.”

The exhibition

can be seen at the Museum Folkwang in Essen until April 3rd.

Free entry.