According to Vanity Fair, “the Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.” Inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, we have put together a set of 32 questions designed to reveal the true nature of 4CITIES alumni. Or to at least give us some insight into what they are up to and what makes them, as students of “the urban”, tick.
1. What is your name?
Wojciech.
2. Which 4CITIES cohort were you a part of?
Cohort 03 (2010-2012).
3. Where and when were you born?
Poland, 1986.
4. Where did you grow up?
Poland, then Belgium.
5. What did you study before 4CITIES?
Literature, and I hated it.
6. Why did you join 4CITIES?
I was looking for something.
7. What is your fondest memory from 4CITIES?
People.
8. What was the most important thing you learned from 4CITIES?
Space is a product of social dynamics.
9. What (if anything) have you studied since 4CITIES?
Photography.
10. Where do you live now?
Brussels.
11. Where else would you like to live?
Shanghai.
12. Which city have you never visited but would most like to?
Bogotá.
13. Where is your favorite non-urban place to be?
Vienna.
14. What kind of work are you currently doing?
Academic.
15. What other work have you done since graduating?
Photography.
16. What job would you most like to attempt?
Photographer.
17. What urban-related job does not exist but should?
Anarchist non-planner.
18. What about cities do you enjoy the most?
Unpredictability.
19. What about cities do you enjoy the least?
Pollution.
20. What about cities do you find most interesting?
How they transform me.
21. What about cities do you think is over-emphasized or over-hyped?
There’s an avant-garde and progressive life to be had in the countryside, too — much more so than in hip urban neighbourhoods.
22. What about cities do you think is under-appreciated?
Don’t know.
23. Why do you think urban studies is important?
Is it?
24. What is one myth about cities that you would like to bust?
That European cities are central to the understanding of urbanity: but for a very short period of human history, they have always been peripheral, and so are they now.
25. If you could time travel, what city and year would you visit?
Nanjing in 16th century.
26. What is your favorite imaginary city (from books, movies, etc.)?
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27. What would you like real cities to learn or take from this imaginary city?
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28. What books, authors, or films would you recommend to someone who wants to better understand “the urban”?
“The Art of Love” by Erich Fromm.
29. What changes would make cities more livable?
Depends on for whom they should be livable, doesn’t it?
30. What are the most important changes cities must make in response to the sustainability crisis?
Cities can’t do things, people can.
31. If you could change one thing about your city, what would it be?
It’s perfect in its imperfection, please don’t touch it.
32. What question have I not asked that you would like to ask other 4CITIES alumni?
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You can find Wojciech on Instagram, LinkedIn, and fotogeografia.
