This photographic work tends to communicate the diversity of personal narratives on the representation of the concept of 'home' for Palestinian refugees living in the Westbank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. In general, these personal narratives are lost within a collective narrative. Therefore I have chosen to explore its diversity and particularity. This project retraces personal and photographic encounters on an universal theme.

The universal meaning given to the concept of 'home' is sometimes limiting. The dominant idea links the idea of 'home' to a territory: the homeland, the symbol of security and continuity. This perspective excludes refugees, Palestinians in our case, from a 'home' other than the lost one in Palestine. However I have been surprised by the complexity or the contrary of that thought. In meeting Palestinians in their intimacy, I have become aware that they have a 'home'. This one is not symbolised nor built only around a political struggle or claims. It takes place in our contemporary world and the daily experiences of life. It is often an articulation between 'home' in exile and the one projected in Palestine.

I have travelled to the Middle East in automne 2002 and have met people interested by this project. To make the project coherent, three questions have been systematically asked, 'what is 'home' for you, how do you represent it and how would you take one photo of it?', leaving them one day of reflection. Photos were taken in two situations, one portrait of the person while talking to me about 'home' and one of his/her representation of 'home' according to his/her idea. I have wished to keep a trace of each representation written by the person or by me on the basis of her/his words. This approach has allowed to create a dialogue between the person, his/her 'home', the photography and me as well as formally between the photography and the writing.