Through the Lens: A New Perspective on Homelessness

Budapest hosted Picture it!, a photography exhibition featuring images captured by homeless individuals across Central Europe in October 2023. Led by the Menhely Foundation and the International Visegrad Fund, the initiative offered a powerful statement on dignity and resilience.

Participants in Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia received disposable cameras to document their lives. Initially hesitant, many discovered a new perspective. “Me, photos? Why?” one participant asked. Yet, through the lens, they found moments of beauty and connection. 

The Budapest exhibition showcased 40 striking images, revealing intimate moments—dogs playing, quiet streets, shared laughter. “These people are often unseen or shown negatively,” said project coordinator Nora Bagdi. “These photos highlight the love and life that persist.” 

Expanding to Prague, Warsaw, and Bratislava, the project reached hundreds of visitors. Beyond exhibitions, Picture it! lives on through a photobook and calendar featuring 65 curated images from 3,000 submissions. Professionally refined and available at venues like ELTE University Library, they amplify participants’ voices. 

Social media and outlets like the Roofless Street paper helped challenge stereotypes. For many, exhibiting their work was transformative. Slawomir Plichta, once homeless and struggling with alcoholism, now sober and housed, said, “Things are 150,000 times better. I prefer this world.” 

Picture it! Isn’t just pictures – it’s a call to see homelessness differently and hear the stories too often ignored.