Since 2022, the Sommer Foundation has been supporting the artistic approach developed by photographer Cristina Nuñez, particularly in relation to young people. Through the project “The Self-Portrait Experience (SPEX)” and subsequently the “EMoSEE” initiative, she has provided secondary school teachers and educators with methods and tools to work with pupils on their relationship with images, with themselves and with others. By prioritising the self-portrait over the selfie—which fosters a distorted view of identity through the use of filters and the rejection of images that do not conform to certain standards of beauty or happiness—she has worked with teenagers on the concept of self-acceptance. At an age when one’s view of oneself is particularly challenging, she trains practitioners in schools and educational settings to support secondary school pupils on this journey towards self-recognition and the recognition of otherness.
Here, the Sommer Foundation has decided to support a new phase of the artist’s project. Although Cristina Nunez has already worked in detention centres in other countries, she had never had the opportunity in Luxembourg to work with young people placed in such facilities by court order. Consequently, she had been considering and discussing the possibility of working at the Dreiborn socio-educational centre for a year.
Developed in collaboration with the institution’s management, this project ran from August to December 2025, with an initial phase in a secure setting (UNISEC) followed by an open setting, requiring significant adjustments to suit the realities on the ground. Whilst the secure setting allowed for strong continuity in the process, the open setting required integration into the school timetable in order to ensure consistent participation.
Through the ‘SPEX’ methodology, the young people were encouraged to work on their self-image through self-portraiture and the creation of an autobiographical book. This artistic process helped to create a space for expressing emotions and supported a shift in how they viewed themselves, within a non-judgemental setting.
The project highlighted several key elements for the Foundation: the importance of time and continuity in complex social contexts, the need to work closely in partnership with teams on the ground, and the ability of an artistic programme to adapt to institutional constraints whilst maintaining its coherence.
It also opens up prospects for development, particularly in terms of training professionals and consolidating the programme over the long term.