The unifying thread running through their research is to actively and patiently “watch and listen”. Often using word-of-mouth Mark Lyon and Anne-Claire Dufour met 34 young people under the age of 30 at a time when our society is going through a major crisis. Guided by a list of possible “beliefs” outlined beforehand - and adapted as they went along - some relating to survival, some to spirituality or to other activities, they proceeded with their investigation. To capture these portraits on the spot, they were helped by the Jeunes de Saint-Augustin association, which directed them to people they wanted to meet and also by “go-betweens” who led them to others. The street also proved to be an ideal place for spontaneous and chance encounters.
In the end, a cross-cultural rhizome took shape, growing from place to place (from a mosque, to a medical school library, on to a neighborhood sports clubs) all of which became the locus for these fresh encounters. Enthusiasm and delight sparked their meetings and conversations with these “wonderful people, real gems”. In the space of half an hour, each of them gave a first-person account of their motivations and aspirations, in the location of their choice. The two photographers, who claim to have learnt a lot in their fieldwork, were touched by a young generation that was “very committed and dynamic, thoughtful and imbued with a desire to give something back to society”. The result, which is documentary in nature, combines Mark Lyon's analog photographic portraits with Anne-Claire Dufour's recordings of their testimonies. This long-term work (two years in the making) enabled them, as they say, “to grow over the course of the project”. Each meeting was marked by a moment suspended in time, and their joint work, sensitive and fitting, bears witness to this. Visitors to the exhibition are not mistaken, and in turn spend a moment listening to the words collected as they watch the images parade by.