ELLESistence

Event : « Elles » Exibition, by Pierre Yves Ginet,
             Musée de Déportation de Lyon
             November 2006


Expectations induced by the affiche- “Exister, Resister. Ici et ailleurs”.
Surpassing the stereotype of woman-victim, woman-minority-to-be-protected- at all-times.
Also, I expected a certain female resistence, partly due to the location in itself- Musee de Resistence.

Walls brimful of pictures continuing bluntly into other walls.
Wrong choice of trajectory, from my part.
First seen “Resister”- “Ni putes, ni sumises”. “Fière”. Then, “survivre”, “exister”. At the border of various, global experiences.
Frightening ones, more often than not.
Genre :Photojournalism.
Photography
Portraits, landscapes.
Americain plans of kurd women or “plongés” on the “mères” in “Place de Mai”.

Press pack grasped beforehand announcing the fact that the photographer focussed on our mixt society « dont l’histoire se conjuge au feminin comme au masculin ». 120 pictures of power and distinction, from 27 countries.
The experience in itself: 20 pictures more or less of power, numberless the ones showing women in pain, sterilised, scarred….
Surviving and perpetually reconstructing.
Soar taste of womanhood.
Some themes more exploited than others.

In terms of organisation, not that coherent the disposal of the pictures- other than their being rounded up by geographical region…
Generally acknowledged the association of text-image (“mot et image- c’est comme chaise et table- si vous voulez mettre à table, vous avez besoin des deux “- J.L.Godard), too exploited though here- I recognize de urge of having a proper historical and cultural background, but however feel somewhat constrained by the « legend » annexed to the image, thus blurring the informational role of a picture in itself. And subsequently, minimising the role of an active viewer.

Speaking time (quantity, quality):2 h or so.
Beginning staircase and discussions. Grasping his “demarche”- choosing a theme, packing and leaving for remote areas, contacting local NGOs, following a “fixer”- interpreter, translator and surprising situations, experiences, glances.
Grasping some pictures and themes, as to find out their finality (for the photographer as both an individual and as a professional).
Exchange
We- presenting him to his work.
Our position probably not too skilfully abused of.

A conclusion in terms of pleasure & instruction?
Saluting the creation of the association “Femmes ici et ailleurs” around this particular project.
Conscience of feminist movements in France and around the globe (Place des Mères- “mon fils biologique c’est transforme en 30 000 enfants…”).
Interesting also the point of view behind the lens.
Yet, despite all these attempts, I feel a scarlet letter still there….