this is KPBS Midday Edition Amaury B on the label of nationality gender and religion profession all the things that separate us, there's more basic things that bind us together like being human and having hopes, fears and dreams and ambitious project that tries to show us how much we all sure is opening at the Museum of photographic arts in Balboa Park the video exhibition is called 7 billion others -- the videotape conducted 6000 interviews in more than 80 countries and asked all the people the same questions -- here's a sample of some of the answers to the questions about us: can somebody out of there tell me what the permanent solution to being happy -- is are one way that says do that or don't do that and you'll be happy until you die. So far I don't believe it. I don't believe there's a recipe for happiness. I think happiness comes when somebody has satisfaction and satisfaction is really hard to achieve I think the best moment for my life was when I was recently in Iraq with the Army and there were local nationals that work on the base and they did not speak any English I was a father and a son and they came to the base to fix our electricity and every day we had lunch together and we talked about everything. I would stick speak in English only and they would only speak in Arabic and sometimes we would draw pictures but we always knew what we were talking about and I realized that language is not a barrier I like [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] so because I feel that if I can make people happy, I am happy maybe it's a kind of service selfishness also -- because you want to be happy and this way you give or help -- I don't know whether it's that but I want to be happy so I make people happy. I'd like to introduce my guest Jan of two so bear Trenton is a photographer a film maker and creator of the 7 billion others project -- welcome Jan Delete heat on is a project manager and curator of 7 billion others exhibit and colleague welcome Thank you so much for welcoming us. On the photos Debra clutch cope she's executive director of the busy about photographic arts or both but and Debra welcome Thank you very and Jan the idea for this project I developed out of your aerial photography book Earth from above -- you were forced to land in Mali and spend a few days talking with the people -- what did that get you thinking about -- did it why did they get you thinking about a project like this? You know Avature listed working -- I'm a journalist working -- explain the demand of the planet and thus work I was working for 10 years I was flying around the planet and even you do land scape speak about human use speak about humanity and one day when I was a small accident and as first Tuesday for two days in a small village around these times [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] everything has to everyone has something to say to me to make me [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] I was so surprised I was for these two days thinking giving everything this was farmers subsistence farmers -- people selling nice things working like a sacrifice every day to feed their families are selling nothing in what makes plain to me how was ambitious what was happiness for them it was the same for me you know and fact I was so far in fact so close so after his amazing success exhibition all over the planet I was trying to do it by myself the beginning [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] I said 16 on the fifth video So big this project is so big so huge that to do vision that originally? In fact I think all the project I do as big and I think so that we have to think big and fact we have 6000 and and fact we have 6080 countries -- [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] project continued -- I seen happiness what is happiness anybody have one date what is the meaning of life and what is thinking of left this question is so poor and what is amazing that you don't know how to read you don't know how to write but what you say is amazing everybody is has something to say to me -- Khalid how did you decide on what questions you would ask? The question was decided very well two Tell her to tell the truth for Please gaily and she don't know You can tell me It was in the interview because one of the 6000 people in fact You were interviewed for this project Yes I was And you answered these questions Yes I did And that's fascinating. How did you get involved in becoming a curator now in the project manager? Wildlife is just a wonderful story I mean IMAT the reporters because were coming to interviewing in a Congress organizing and in the country I was living in at this moment we cames and receive them so I was interviewed and I've heard the project was so amazing and the concept is so simple that at the same time you received and it was so much energy honesty, through for us really something amazing and I kept in touch and when they proposed me to be part of the project itself so that's just wonderful Let me again have our listeners it a taste of what this project is about 7 billion others. Here's a compilation of answers that people give to the question -- what is your greatest fear? My greatest fears to go to heaven -- hell Intel is there then I don't want to go there -- My greatest fear I fear God My marriage my marriage is the greatest fear I can think about as of now. Basically the family to which I belong is a very conservative Orthodox family and I look now what I have somebody in my mind so my baby these people don't accept I think that my greatest fear because there are a few -- is not being able to have kids. That's probably my greatest fear. And then after that I would say not being successful. Very scared of getting A's theories scared of impregnating the girl -- just basically because where I come from in my family as a man you have a responsibility and part of that responsibility is looking after your parents and your old age Actually positive the only thing I would really be scared about is I could possibly affect my wife and been very careful and my love life it would be very difficult thing for me to deal with if my wife had to become HIV-positive survey because I was loving care for her so much Personal people your there's -- as I said before I don't want to make and all flood of money but I do want to be secure I do want to be careful comfortable I would like to live in this house and one of my biggest fears or worries is the fact that I might lose my job That's an audio compilation of some of the answers given in the video exhibition 7 billion others which is opening this Saturday at the Museum of photographic arts. Delete how did reporters because you know you went through this yourself take all of these strangers comfortable enough to talk about these subjects? I think is because there's a really -- there's a real encounter with the people -- you know is not a TV show you're not going there for 15 min. interviews saying saying I want you to say this and that no it's a real encounters we've purchased next time it can take one hour it can take four hours and so there's this kind of honesty versus kind of closeness that is coming from both eMac Delete He say things you never said before -- when you ask the people what is the worst thing something in her life and when what have you learned from it -- if you want to everybody has something to say about that there's always something strong and important make you learned something in your life and what you say also people will listen to you learned something and something I think is very a lot of emotion people cry a lot and you cry also it is file delete laughing like that photo I and painful -- Let me ask you somewhat technical question because you must of had thousands and thousands and thousands of hours of footage to put together to assemble this video exhibition. How did you manage to go through it all because you organize it by themes delete delete -- like 60 [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] making Museum you can understand how every night cheerless work was a translator to find whether the good things and putting now I'm working on a new movie part of this job the movie will be out and it's a big story about humanity and is completely inspired by this project and this very strong the movie will be out in September at the UN For this project delete I think with the incredible amount of footage to Jeff to come up with a brand-new kind of the system just to keep track of it all? Oh yes there was of full team working on the movie for more than four years just for the footing for the editing for the postproduction we were lucky enough also to have a sponsor since the beginning of the project and this is one of the reasons where we could have time we could take our time in order to have [ indiscernible - multiple speakers ] Made by foundation French bank and amazing they give us money to do what we want so it was lacks that words like that [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] the things is not something you change your mind come to see all the 22 hours and you people more -- the exhibition then you start to comment Let me ask Deborah Koch: executive director of the Museum of photographic arts whole of viewers be able to experience this video exhibition Deborah Well those multiple installations and there's a mosaic wall when you enter into the BCM which goes from one edge to the other it's impressive and it's all of these phases that are coming out and talking to and they're in a foreign language that there's subtitles so is not only a mosaic of individuals but a mosaic of voices and then in the main gallery there's also viewing areas where you can sit and here I single topic being talked about about will change during the run of the exhibition. So so it's a very experiential and incredibly powerful installation. Will viewers be able to give their own answers to the questions? Yes. There is a computer station with multiple monitors for you'll be able to answer the questions and respond to what you've been experiencing. Why did the Museum of photographic arts choose this as its leading exhibition for the Park Centennial celebration? Well if you think about what the original Panama California exposition was was about in 1915 it was about bringing the world and new technology and experiences to the park to San Diego. And now 100 years later, this is an experiential and has such a strong global connection -- San Diego has one of the largest refugee populations in United States where 15 miles from the Mexican border -- and now more than ever I think our ability to connect to one another is very important and that's what this exhibition does. This is a moving powerful and incredibly well done exhibition and we are really excited to have it here as our gift to our community Let me just follow up on something that you said that 7 billion others is scheduled to run 30 weeks at the Museum but you say there will be thematic updates through that time so people can see a new version as the exhibit goes on -- is that right? Yes in the smaller viewing areas those will be changing and we have a schedule of those so that you can come back again and again and experience it. We also we are very pleased to share our renovation. We have a brand-new store we've added a new gallery, and so there's a lot that you'll be able to see when you come visit and we also have another international show Kendrick Kirsten's model and muse which will be up it -- it's an exciting and dynamic time at the BCM I want to end our conversation with you because this was your brainchild -- at this time, when there are so much in the news so much tragedy in so much terrorism in so much that separates us and so many people pointing fingers and saying these people are not like us and those people are not like us, so much tension between people come up what do you hope that an exhibit like this might give to people check You know you have to be modest and to be full of [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] humility on people talking but I think this would consist of my life to be a journalist and to try to show how is the world I think we are full of love I think is the best most beautiful word in the language and the six exhibition speak about love even think very hard we cut we went to -- [ indiscernible - heavy accent ] full-blown somewhere -- also I think must for human to try to find our happiness I think it happiness is a key of our -- I want to die with a smile you know I want to die happy and it's very difficult something can possible so we have to try this exhibition is about what is happiness -- I think we don't think too much about happiness and happiness you must learn in school how to be happy in your life and this exhibition in fact in fact I want to thank you so much and tell everyone that the 7 billion others video exhibition opens this Saturday and runs through September 13 at the Museum of photographic arts and although part of the speech with got up to use theater on creative the 7 billion others project delete key then is project manager is generated and Deborah Klotz: executive director of the of the BCM of photographic arts and to also expected to Thank you so much
Beyond the labels of nationality, gender, religion, profession — all the things that separate us — there are more basic things that bind people together. Like being human, having hopes, fears and dreams.
An ambitious project that tries to show how much people all share is running through Sunday at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. The video exhibition is called "7 billion Others."
A team of reporters conducted 6,000 interviews in more than 80 countries and asked all the people the same 45 questions. The project's organizers hope the end result is a strong feeling of humanity, and a closeness despite physical distance and conflict.
Yann Arthus-Bertrand, photographer, filmmaker and creator of the project, said he's learned a lot from those interviewed.
"I've learned that everybody has something to say to me — to make me bigger, to make me clever," Arthus-Bertrand told KPBS Midday Edition.
"You don't know how to read, you don't know how to write, but what you say is amazing," he said of some of the interviewees.
Galitt Kenan became the manager of the project after she was interviewed. Kenan said the people were able to openly talk about personal issues because of the bonds that were formed with the interviewers. She said the many interviews took from one to four hours.
"These are real encounters with the people," Kenan said. "It's not a TV show, you're not going there for a 15-minute interview."
Deborah Klochko, executive director of the Museum of Photographic Arts, called the exhibit impressive.
"It's not only a mosaic of individuals but a mosaic of voices," she said.
