You’ll Never Look At Tarot Cards The Same Way…

What does it mean to live in a ghetto? Photographer Alice Smeets and Haitian artist collective Atis Rezistans, or resistant artists, set out to challenge that idea through a series of stunning portraits that transform Port-au-Prince residents into a living deck of tarot cards. With costumes and props created entirely from found and recycled objects, the project is meant to showcase the creativity and ingenuity of the Haitian people, as well as change the narrative of dependence and victimization.

The project also works to reclaim the word "ghetto." To the artists who live and work there, "ghetto" doesn't just represent poverty and disadvantage, the word represents community, family, solidarity, strength, and rich creativity. Smeets spoke with Refinery29 from Belgium.