Do your friends know who you really are? French Caribbean photographer Jacky KIJA Gotin (1980) tries expose us in his new photo exhibition “Masquerade” (in French “Mascarade") on the French Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe, 18-24th June 2010.
About the exhibition Gotin says: " Sometimes we are forced to wear masks in order to fit right into society, to be well seen in some groups. We develop many identities (at work, in the family, with friends, on social networks). But at the end of the day, do we know who we really are? ‘Mascarade’ is about the fact that sometimes people can move away from who they really are and get lost. “
Mascarade (Masquerade) is a series of 35 pictures. The exhibition is in 3 parts: Dusk, Metamorphosis and Dawn.
Gotin: “So at the end of the exhibition when dawn happens, the characters of the Masquerade have to make a choice: get rid of the mask and find a true identity or keep the mask and live under a false identity. The exhibition is built with quotes of Aimé Césaire, Khalil Gibran, Maryse Condé, Les Nubians etc.”
“My photography is about the identity,” says Gotin. “ As a west Indian, I was born on an island with a Caribbean background, but with African, European, American influences. I guess my photography is about the need to define myself without denying my roots."
About Jacky KIJA Gotin. He was born in Guadeloupe in 1980, lived in Paris and moved back to Guadeloupe again. He learned photography following photographers in soul and jazz concerts in Paris. And worked with African and Caribbean musicians like Kaysha, Edgar Yonkeu, Erik, Meemee Nelzy, Dominik Coco etc..
The exhibition will take place in Le Centre Culturel de la Retraite, Baie-Mahault, on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. 18-24th June.
New Lives is the new French TV and social media reality show on RFO. Eight people who live in, or have roots in the overseas French territories embark on a journey to change their lives by following their dreams. The show is aired on TV, but people can also participate by posting advice on the social media site. Go to Nouvelles Vies (New Lives) here
Corinne, originally from Martinique, is a professional dancer. Her specialty is the limbo. She is the mother of 3 boys. At 40 she dreams of starting a dance school. New Lives proposed to accompany her with the steps she undertook, supported by her relatives. Corinne was one of the singers of the eighties disco group Bony M.
Dominique (Guadeloupe) made her living as financial advisor, and is is 30 years old. She has lived all her youth in the Paris, but has decided to leave everything behind to start a new live from scratch on Guadeloupe. Is she not going to miss the city? Gwénaelle, 18, arrived in Fort-de-France and entered the prestigious school 'école de Sciences-Po Paris'. A real change of life for this young girl who has left her family and friends, and is preparing for a difficult course. The show follows her career, and her first few weeks of adjustment in the capital Paris.
Samuel , 31, lives in Réunion. He practices organic farming and wants to share his beliefs with other farmers in the region. He is preparing to organise the first eco festival of Réunion. His wife will take the opportunity to give bio cooking classes. We'll see if this pair manages to pass on this new lifestyle.
Nathalie is an expectant mother of twins and her life is not easy. This Martiniquaise 33 years will become a single mother, but she must find a new home, repair her car and organize her life. Preparing for the childbirth, and to her new life as a mother, we follow the change of life.
Audrey, 31, originally from Martinique, dropped her job as legal officer and wants to start a new career in producing films. But the path to the cinema is full of pitfalls.
Fabrice (Réunion) is a foreman in a garage during week and skipper in the weekend: his dream is to participate in the sailing contest Round Créolia. He must train and find a teammate, but parallel to its preparation, he was to inherit a land where he plans to mount lodgings. Arrive there at any juggle? Will he participate in the race?
Tiya earns his living by making Theatre and film costumes, but wants to record an album and pursue a singing career. She has already filmed the first clip and tries to make a name for herself.
"L'essentiel" is one of the soulful tracks of the album "Âme Nouvelle" ("New Soul") of Meemee Nelzy. 
