Guest editor, Jacqueline Roberts shares a week of European photographers, today with Hélène Amouzou. A huge thank you to Jacqueline for her insight and efforts.

Hélène Amouzou was born in Togo in 1969, but currently lives in Brussels, Belgium, where she is completing her studies at the Academy of Drawing and Visual Arts of Molenbeek-St-Jean. Hélène self portraits have been exhibited in Belgium and France. Last year, she presented her work at the photography festival Photoquai 2011, in Paris. Her book, Entre le papier peint et le mur, is published by Husson Editeur, Belgium.

Jacqueline Roberts writes: Looking at Hélène’s self-portraits I cannot help but wonder whether her evanescent body emerges from the wall or fades into it… torn between two identities, rootless and in transit. “I always have the impression to be traveling” she says. “I am not Togolese, nor Belgian”. In her quest for identity, Hélène puts down her empty suitcase in an equally empty attic… her no man’s land…

When asked about the European photography scene, Hélène says she finds inspiration in and sees American photography as a reference for European photographers. Since the financial crisis, investment in art has dramatically dropped in Europe. Galleries and art collectors are overly cautious nowadays. There is nevertheless great work coming from Europe and if the work is good, there is a way to find some support, even if such support may no longer be financial.