Personal stories paint rich portrait of France's immigration through time

Ollia Horton

24 November 2024 at 2:55 am·2-min read

With the exhibition "Every Life is History", the National Museum of Immigration History in Paris brings together art and artefacts that build a picture of France's diverse modern society, a tapestry woven by immigration.

As France grapples with the topic of immigration in its political chambers, on a cultural level there is a current push to embrace diversity, and put names and stories to faces.

This is the aim of the exhibition "Every Life is History", on display at the National Museum of Immigration History in Paris – to celebrate this collective experience. It brings together 13 contemporary artists from different horizons, each tasked with creating new pieces.

Meanwhile, in parallel, curators have selected 200 items from the museum's permanent collection on the theme of personal stories: a mix of artefacts, testimonials, multimedia pieces, artworks and photographs.

From international journeys taken by choice, to forced exile and economic migration, the exhibition aims to weave a comprehensive historical tapestry.

'The more you know, the less you are afraid'

"The role of this collection is to show that these people are like you and me, in fact," co-curator Elisabeth Jolys-Shimells told RFI.

As director of the museum’s heritage collection, she oversees the gathering of testimonials and documents that pertain to ordinary people and their experiences. These range from telephone cards and letters to a suitcase used as a symbol at a protest, to video interviews with child migrants and the NGOs who help them.

Inside, rooms are adorned with giant frescoes depicting France’s colonies and their inhabitants – a testament to another time.

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'The more you know, the less you are afraid'

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