“‘Everyday life is an extraordinary adventure ground.’”
– Georges Perec

I Dream My City – Passport to Imaginary Spaces

I Dream My City, the third and final edition of the Under the Same Sky project, marks the culmination of an artistic and educational collaboration between the Athénée Royal Toots Thielemans and the Kanal-Centre Pompidou. This three-year project materializes in a unique passport-book, symbolizing both a creative testimony and a civic commitment.

This passport tells the story of young people who have explored their neighborhood and daily life with a new perspective, inspired by Georges Perec’s Species of Spaces. Through 23 drawings, it blends art, reflection, and urbanism, while documenting the public artworks created during these three years, as well as testimonies and in situ photos. It invites the reader to extend this artistic journey and recognize the power of dreams to transform both the city and citizenship.

Reinventing the City Through the Eyes of Dreamers

In the streets of Molenbeek, this question becomes all the more relevant: why search for the extraordinary elsewhere when it resides at the heart of our dreams?

At the Athénée Royal Toots Thielemans, the artistic project I Dream My City, led by artist Françoise Schein in partnership with the Inscrire Association, invites young people to redefine their city through art, influenced by the works of Georges Perec. From January to July 2024, this participatory project allows young people to transform their everyday lives into a canvas of beauty and inspiration.

This project is part of the broader Under the Same Sky initiative, commissioned by the Kanal-Centre Pompidou to the Inscrire Association. In three sections, it brings to life the stories of young newcomers and the dreams of Molenbeek’s youth through:

• “Stories of Lives”: A ceramic mural retracing the stories of twenty young newcomers.
• “I Dream My Life”: Architectural medallions illustrating the future professions dreamed of by these young people.
• “I Dream My City”: Sketches imagining a new city, where everyday life is adorned with fresh perspectives.

Partnerships and Culture

The Inscrire Association is actively committed to broadening the cultural horizons of the young people of Molenbeek, notably through partnerships with institutions like the Kanal Centre Pompidou. These young people have participated in workshops and cultural visits, allowing them to discover new artistic forms while enriching their reflection on urban issues. Excursions to Mini-Europe, the Atomium, and the Design Museum Brussels have provided them with a deeper understanding of art, design, and human rights.

The Artistic Passport: A Symbol of Resilience and Openness

After three years of work and creation, the artistic passport becomes a powerful symbol of global cultural citizenship. It transcends borders and fosters intercultural dialogue, affirming art as a universal language that unites us, inspires us, and allows us to dream together beyond physical and mental limits.

In answering the initial question, we see that our relationship with our environment, our community, and our own creativity is constantly redefined through art. The I Dream My City initiative illustrates how the young people of Molenbeek transform their perception of the world, strengthen community ties, and explore their creative potential, reimagining their city and their future one dream at a time.

Acknowledgements

We would like to warmly thank Mrs. Richardson and Mrs. Saluden, as well as the Richardson/Saluden Estate, for their kind permission regarding the works of Georges Perec, whose inspiration has nourished this project.

ARTISTE
Françoise Schein visual artist and architect, professor at the École Supérieure d’Arts et Médias de Caen/Cherbourg, founder of the Inscrire Association

with the participation of Aya, Dariia, Daniel, Denise-Raquel, Farah, Gülser, Hasan, Ilham, Khalil, Lamia, Lina, Mara-Georgiana, Mountaha, Mariam, Mohamed, Mohamad, Obaidah, Radu-Mariam, Safi, Tasnim, Viorel, Wafa, Yazieh, Zeynab, Zahieh.

Athénée Royal Toots Thielemans
Sabah Lamrani
Nisrine Moujaoui
Pascale Taes
Claire Saint-Pierre
Elodie Stas
Calogero Di Natale
Marielle Gilles

Inscrire
Béanie Aubril
Amandine Bertholet
Léa Jarrin
Constance Léglise
Céleste Maurel
Katia de Radiguès
Lohana Schein

Kanal-Centre Pompidou
Yves Goldstein
Kasia Redzisz
Paula Bogutyn
Soetkin De Backer
Koen Van Caekenberghe
Caroline Kadziola
Jean Samuel N’Sengi
Mey Reinke

“I Dream My City” is part of the KANAL Collectif project proposed by