The Selfie Factory. The Belgian founders of Smile safari, based in Lille, sell their concept as being the “most instagrammable museum” in Europe. An ersatz contemporary art fair where the visitor becomes the main subject of the successive installations. About fifty sets allow the taking of original selfies dedicated to feeding social networks and, perhaps, scratching a few followers.
On the first floor of the Euralille shopping center, Smile Safari is installed on a 1,000 m2 plateau open to the public since Saturday. This concept was born in Belgium in the minds of com pros, themselves inspired by what was already being done in the United States. It was in Brussels that the founders of the company installed the first Smile Safari two years ago. The idea worked so well with our neighbors, with more than 100,000 visitors, that it was perpetuated there.
Visitors are the works of this “museum”
“We use the term ‘museum’, but it is more of an experience for visitors who are themselves the works,” says Hannes Coudenys, creative director of Smile Safari. Spread over this immense surface, around fifty spots, capsules, bricks, meticulously designed for the sole purpose of generating original photos. “We work with designers to imagine these sets, sometimes taking inspiration from what influencers do on networks like Instagram or TikTok. But the goal is also to offer new spots, ”continues the creative director.
Games of mirrors, games of light, bright colors, ball pools and even a huge candy pink Cadillac. The goal is that each spot constitutes an instagrammable capsule. Does the investment of 500,000 euros justify a rather high entry price of 20 euros per adult? “It’s something unique in Europe and we also based ourselves on the rates for equivalent experiences. Young people, more concerned with social networks, do not even ask the question of the price, ”says Hannes Coudenys.
An original profile photo on Insta that makes friends drool with envy is indeed priceless. Lucie, 38, frantically shoots her little daughter Naëlle. “It’s to put on his TikTok. She made me promise not to say where it is so that her friends don’t sting her, ”laughs the mother. She, for her part, will use the photos to make birthday cards. In the aisles, we also meet a young couple photographing their newborn, another older couple, two girlfriends who take turns photographing each other. “A gentleman who was reluctant to enter, pushed by his wife, finally came out with more photos than she”, jokes Hannes.
The Lille Pop-up is, for the moment, installed ephemeral with a deadline set for next June. However, the founders did not rule out extending the experience if attendance was there. And why not open similar places in other cities in France.