More than 225 video portraits in which people from all over the world share their honest answers to the  main question: what is the essence of your life?
 
 The Essential shows us the many ways in which our lives are unique, as well as the similarities we share despite our differences. Since 2010, artists Martin and Inge Riebeek (NL) have been collecting stories from people all over the world for their video art project The Essential. In these stories, people tell us what is most important to them in their lives. They share their honest answers to this key question: "what is the essence of your life". This book is a celebration of ten years of work. It offers a selection of 225 video portraits with transcripts of the moving monologues and additional photographs taken during the making of The Essential.