CÉDRIC MARTIGNY ^(FR)

“For a long time, I have wanted to work with people from the LGBTQIA+ community. The intricacy of the personal and the political is at the heart of the struggle for the rights of this community. Thus, a militant act or an affirmation of one’s identity can also be an act of love, or in any case of hope, in the same way that love can be an antidote against heteronormativity. My artistic proposition was to invite people to come and pose in the studio in an intentionally theatrical setting. The subjects were positioned on a raised platform in front of a changing scenic backdrop. The scenery was photographed in Bretagne, in environmentally protected areas. Each subject chose their backdrop and an initial consultation allowed us to choose the posture, gesture or attitude which would best demonstrate an interpretation of the Love/Rebellion dialectic. In this way the subjects were involved in the thought process behind their portraits, and produced a series that reflects the gender and identity diversity of the community. This photographic project was extended with the installation of a video booth at the Hôtel Pasteur (Rennes) where members of the community were invited to film themselves on the theme of touch. Alone or in pairs, they were invited to explore and map each part of their bodies through a haptic journey that is both abstract and corporeal. A short photo series was also created of the community members’ tattoos, which often represent biographical details.”