Paris' iconic Place de la République, a hub for protests and celebrations, takes on a new light through the lens of photographer Bérangère Fromont. Her series, 'République', captures the essence of the square through the eyes of its young skateboarders, offering a unique perspective on resistance and youth culture.
Fromont's portraits showcase the skaters' meditative faces and bruised torsos, bathed in the harsh summer light of Paris. She calls them the 'Princes of the Square', highlighting their performative side and the way they showcase their skills to passersby. This series is a departure from the political protests and spectacles of dissent that often dominate the square, instead focusing on a more ambiguous kind of resistance.
The photographer's work is deeply personal, drawing on her own experiences and a recurring theme of resistance in her previous projects. She sees the skaters' choice of gentleness as a form of resistance in itself, a quiet and poetic act in a world of uncertainty. This is a stark contrast to the more aggressive forms of resistance often associated with youth culture.
Fromont's approach to photography is also unique, eschewing posed portraiture in favor of a labor-intensive process. She uses a medium-format Mamiya film camera and a 50 mm lens, taking wide-angle photographs that she then crops to isolate and enlarge compelling details. This method, though challenging, adds to the authenticity and raw beauty of her images.
The photographer's admiration for the skaters and onlookers is evident in the way she uses stark light to sculpt their expressive features, creating a visual harmony that echoes the square's bronze figures and stone statues. This deliberate choice adds a timeless, marble-like quality to her work, emphasizing the existence of genuine beauty in the everyday.
'République' is a powerful exploration of youth, resistance, and the beauty found in everyday life. It is a testament to Fromont's skill as a photographer and her ability to capture the essence of a place and its people. The series is available in a book published by Chose Commune and will be accompanied by an exhibition at the Institut pour la Photographie in Lille, offering a deeper dive into this captivating project.
