Photoquai is a biennale photography exhibition founded in 2007 by the Quai Branly Museum to showcase ‘non-western’ photographers.
The term ‘non-western’ sounds vague, but these are mostly emerging photographers from countries that aren’t usually included in larger photo exhibitions.
The 2011 exhibition, held outdoors on the banks of the Seine, right across from the museum in the 16th arrondissement, ran between September and November last year, and I was lucky enough to have caught it while on vacation.

The photos are snapshots of the world; unique and intriguing, showcasing a world perhaps different from many at the exhibit.
I imagine the photographers are fascinating too; their photos are varied and moving, they tell complex tales of people and places in Africa, Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe and South America.
The photos connect you to these places and make you inquisitive…. It leaves you wanting to learn more about the people and places in the pictures.
Vibrant and beautifully shot, the exhibition felt impressive under the open sky.

AutoPotraits – Hélèn Amouzou / Togo
Hélèn took these self-portraits for an art school assignment, at a time when she was also seeking asylum in Belgium.

Waiting Little People – Sergey Loier / Russia
This set on orphans was my favourite of the exhibition; the pictures are beautiful, haunting and poignant.
It’s almost like a fairytale with the bit in the notes that all the children in the pictures found homes
I hope they are happy

Alter Gogo Getters – Andrew Esiebo – Nigeria
The Gogo Getters are a football team made up entirely of grandmothers

Adrián F. Milanès / Cuba

Spring Summer Collection 2018 – Hassan Hajjaj / Morroco
I loved these playful photos from Hassan Hajjaj

And the picture I didn’t take… is young Mack Magagane’s ‘I’ll Be Gone Soon,’ black and white pictures shot in Johannesburg which shed light on teen suicide in South Africa

The next Photoquai exhibition happens in 2013

I’ve always loved those photos, you know… of people straddling two countries in the middle of nowhere on a lone road with a weathered sign post or tiny demarcation.

When I was a kid, I read a book about a girl from Maine who crossed the border every weekend to visit her grandmother in a New Brunswick town, where she practiced her French and learned to sew.
It seemed like a lot of fun to be able to spend weekends in another country, and I wished I could do that.

I couldn’t believe my luck when I first moved out here; I’m so close to the border I could practically spend my lunch time in another country, I thought.
I cross the border a lot – once a month at least, and at some point it stopped feeling adventurous.

I go mainly for Trader Joe’s, to stock up on pantry staples, and also to pick up multivitamins.
Occasionally, I’ll go farther south… beyond Everett, but it’s always mostly short afternoon trips.
I usually go with @adjoa, she prefers the Aldergrove crossing; it’s smaller and a little further away but I don’t mind it – it’s a scenic drive with relatively shorter wait times.

We’re regulars; over the years… it’s amazing how much personal details we’ve had to share to be let through, it’s an odd relationship but it gets us moving.

We got stuck in a slow lane one afternoon last November, where they were running one of those ‘trial exercises’, where you had to park your car and go inside.
Inside, we were greeted by a border agent in a cowboy hat who shook our hands and gave us a ‘Welcome to the US’ pamphlet – it felt special, I’d never been officially welcomed to the US.

More pictures from the Aldergrove/Lynden border…

 
I’ve already talked about my thing for cemeteries… and how I find them calming and centering.
So it probably wouldn’t come as a surprise that I went to the world’s most visited cemetery while in Paris last year.
Père Lachaise Cemetery is in the 20th arrondissement in the eastern part of the city, it was about a twenty-minute walk from our little apartment in the Haut Marais.
Pere Lachaise is evocatively beautiful, a place of soothing solitude, the ultimate resting place.
It’s laid out like a city; with its named cobblestone streets, and rolling hills, tall trees and house-like mausolea, with views of the Eiffel Tower.
Many famous people are buried here, Edith Paif, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Mollière, etc, etc etc…
Colette’s grave was among the many I loved seeing; her life always intrigued me.
And many more interesting graves… like this

What becomes of the dream when the dream is over?

 
We made a pit stop in Bellevue, WA during our short road trip down south last weekend.
Downtown Bellevue is delightful at Christmas…

I’ll always associate my first time in Brussels with the Belgian bank Dexia; for days prior to the trip, Paris was abuzz with news of the bank’s demise.
When the lovely Belgian couple on the train asked what we were looking forward to the most in Brussels, I almost said the Dexia tower – suddenly I wanted to see what a failing bank looked like, but I said the Manneken-Pis, of course.
I loved every bit about Brussels, even getting there was fun…
Seriously, if I lived in Europe I’d visit a new city every weekend – travelling around Europe by train is so convenient and painless. The journey from Paris Nord to Brussels Midi took a relaxing 1:20mins.

It was still early when we arrived, so we found a quiet spot at Galeries Royales St. Hubert and had an unhurried breakfast.
We spent the first part of the day sightseeing, we went through Palace Royale, Palais de Justice, Parc du Cinquantenaire and the triumphal arch, AutoWorld and the Great Mosque of Brussels.
Then to the magnificent Berlaymont Building, home of the European Commission and explored the rest of the European district.
We then ventured further away from the city to Heysel Park to see the Atomium.

The second part of our day was spent in the shopping district, starting out at Boulevard de Waterloo a wide street lined with trees and luxury shops with beautiful window displays.
But first, we chanced upon Parc d’Egmont and decided to take a little break.
Tucked away from busy streets and boulevards, this lovely park is a refuge of calm and respite.
This was my favourite moment of the trip, and the L’Orangerie du Parc d’Egmont.

The Avenue Louise area has a good variety of restaurants and stores; notable French, Italian and (of course,) Belgian designers/brands line the street.
It’s a nice area to wander about; nice long stretch of street, with wonderful architecture and lots to see, and if you got tired, you could always take a break at the bar at the Sofitel Brussels Le Louise – This was quite exciting for me because I hadn’t been to a Sofitel since Mammy Yoko (when it was a Sofitel).

For the final leg our day, we made our way towards the Grand Place determined to get all the touristy things out of the way, we saw and took pictures of/with the Manneken-Pis and got souvenirs.
I sadly didn’t try waffles (in the touristy areas) because someone had one and declared “I’ve had better Belgian waffles at the airport in Amsterdam”
I loved the grand and impressive Grand Place! Definitely the most stunning square I’ve ever seen – the gothic and baroque architecture, impressive gold gildings… and the people – the atmosphere there is amazing.

We walked the cobblestoned and winding streets along the shops and outdoor cafés of Grasmarkt, and forgot to have dinner until it was too late.
We ended our day at the Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule, a beautiful cathedral on a hill with magnificent stained glass windows, sculptures and artwork. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect finish to our day.

If you’re in Brussels for a day…
Eat
Le Mokafé
Galerie du Roi 9
Brussels

L’Orangerie du Parc d’Egmont
Parc d’Egmont
Brussels
website

Crystal Lounge at Sofitel Brussels Le Louise
40 Avenue de la Toison d Or
Brussels
website

See
Horta Museum
Atomium / Mini Europe
Army and Military Museum
AutoWorld
Grand Place

Do
Parc d’Egmont
Shop Rue Antoine Dansaert
Shop Avenue Louise & Boulevard de Waterloo
Galeries Royales St. Hubert
Drink beer at Cantillon Brewery