This autumn, Paris’ historic streets become open-air galleries. The PHOTOCLIMAT Biennale transforms iconic locations like Place de la Concorde – the city’s largest square and once a site of the infamous guillotine – into stages for powerful photography that confronts the climate crisis and rising social inequality. Now in its third edition, the biennale is the only free, open-air photo festival dedicated to environmental and social issues. What sets this year’s offering apart is its focus on grassroots action. Charities, campaigners and NGOs – independent groups that work to protect people, places and social causes – are at the very heart of the programme.
Around 50 different organisations are involved, each paired with a lens-based artist to create an exhibition that speaks to their specific cause. Prince Gyasi (b. 1995) began making work when he was 16. His colourful images highlight the resilience and energy of his generation in Ghana, providing a vibrant counterpoint to western perspectives. They appear alongside a collection from France Terre d’Asile, an association defending the rights of asylum seekers, which presents 12 life-size portraits of refugees to combat discrimination and stigma against migrants.
Elsewhere, James Mollison blends the personal and political, using memories of his first home to inform his advocacy for children’s rights. The affecting pictures document the bedrooms of young people from a variety of circumstances, unpacking how geopolitical issues, often viewed as an abstract by outsiders, impact real people’s lives. At PHOTOCLIMAT, the curators go beyond simple aesthetics, instead presenting an urgent and timely call for collective responsibility and justice.
PHOTOCLIMAT is on until 12 October: photoclimat.com
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
1. TCOP, Prince Gyasi & Maāt Gallery.
2. The Last One, Prince Gyasi & Maāt Gallery.
3. Treachery, Prince Gyasi & Maāt Gallery.
