Estelle Car

A SQUAT LIKE NO OTHER

One year ago, the image of Aylan Kurdi provoked a global emotion and shed light on the crisis of the refugees, launching an impulse of solidarity in Europe. A year later, boats no longer arrive on the Greek coasts. Prior to the agreement with Turkey in March, Greece was a transit country. Today, it has become an unfortunate host country. According to the Greek government, 54,000 people are now (2017) stuck in Greece following the closure of borders in the Western Balkans. This is a real challenge for a country facing a severe economic crisis, particularly in terms of housing and subsistence.

Hotel City Plaza hotel is located in the heart of Athens. It shut down 7 years ago during the economic crisis. It was invested in April 2016 by Greek left-wing activists and transformed into a self-managed place where to live for and by refugees. Today, 400 refugees live there, including 180 minors. The hotel only relies on private donations from Greece and elsewhere. The guests must all take part in the life together. Different teams were created, devoted to the household, cooking, security, logistics, education, health, etc.

Estelle Car

Estelle Car studied Management of Cultural Projects and gave an international dimension to her studies, taking the opportunity given to her to live some time in Ireland and then in Argentina on student abroad exchange programmes. Back in Brittany (France), she coordinated writing residences for European film directors and screenwriters.

In 2015/2016 she decided to study photography at the EFET School in Paris. A new journey, which affirms her taste for documentary photography. Estelle focuses on photographing places of gathering, where she can feel that a human energy emerges, that emotions are expressed through the group. She is also documenting today’s social issues, and it was in this context that she made two reports in Athens in the summer of 2016 about the refugees’ crisis.