When I sat with Hermione, she used a description in J.M. Coetzee’s novel Elisabeth Costello. It’s about a writer who finally says she is a secretary of the invisible. She said: "Just seeing that phrase, it brings tears to my eyes.”

Michael is a philosopher, an editor and a translator. And also a music lover. “Have the courage to really stand by what you think and be radical”: when he told me that, I understood that it was a way to start a more profound conversation. That was exactly what happened.

When I sat with Christiane, she told me about her Lebanese roots and how music preserved her from the war at the time. Finding her true voice was -and still is- a challenge for her, but she adds: "I always knew that a lot of answers would come to me through my voice. "

When Nancy talks about music, she also talks about silence and life and joy. I learned a lot from her. Heres's a phrase she told me that I really like: “Listening is like not being afraid of the empty space, and building a trust that if you allow for the silence, for the empty space, then, something important will come to fill it. You will see all the treasures that are in there.”

Ara is an Armenian-American musician. He is considered one of the top oud players in the world, his compositions have been recorded in thirteen different languages, which include the multi-platinum hit "Dinata" which was performed in the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

J'ai rencontré Emmanuel dans son bureau à New York où il est actuellement en mission. Il m'a parlé de sa passion pour l'espace public et la démocratie. Ce qui ne va pas sans friction, ni trouble. Comment faire circuler la parole dans des situations de crise ? “Quand une situation est bloquée, soit on en sort par la force (mais on reste dans l’immobilité), soit on créé du mouvement par le dialogue. C’est de l’Aïkido.”

I sat with Francois at his place in New York filled with art. His parents were huge collectors whose collection is now visible at the Menil Foundation in Houston (TX). He told me about his taste and his view of what an eye for art is: “You can recognize quality in art even though you may not respond to it as something you personally like."

I sat with Valérie to better know her curating process. Objects can speak when they resonate. When she curates an exhibition, she tries to make them resonate with the larger audience. 

I sat with Eileen. She told me that all her life she tried to figure out who she is. And that's where her creative process comes in: "As an artist I can explore myself through my creative process. I am present in my artwork, whereas in the graphic design it is my job to not be present. It is my job that the work that is communicating is the presence." 

Claire is very concerned about, for many reasons, art is more or less accessible. “Art should be a democratic space. I am always thinking about how to make an artist’s work accessible to people who might not know about art.”