It was in Ukraine, in the Donbass, in November 2005, that I first stayed with Hennadiy, a miner at mine No. 1 in Vouhledar, literally "The Gift of Coal." I then followed Hennadiy to his workplace, 500 meters underground.
The elevator plunges rapidly, creating a sensation of pressure in the ears, while the humidity and draft intensify. "Welcome to my office!" he exclaims enthusiastically.
Until 2012, I had the pleasure of returning several times to this mine, happy to reconnect with Hennadiy and his fellow workers. During these visits, they offered me powerful portraits.
I wanted to capture this intense and demanding world, drawing inspiration from the light of Flemish paintings and the work of Henri Alekan, the director of photography for ”La Bête humaine” (Jean Renoir, 1938) and ”La Belle et la Bête” (Jean Cocteau, 1946).
The elevator plunges rapidly, creating a sensation of pressure in the ears, while the humidity and draft intensify. "Welcome to my office!" he exclaims enthusiastically.
Until 2012, I had the pleasure of returning several times to this mine, happy to reconnect with Hennadiy and his fellow workers. During these visits, they offered me powerful portraits.
I wanted to capture this intense and demanding world, drawing inspiration from the light of Flemish paintings and the work of Henri Alekan, the director of photography for ”La Bête humaine” (Jean Renoir, 1938) and ”La Belle et la Bête” (Jean Cocteau, 1946).
I envisioned a series of uncompromising photographs, where black becomes a color in its own right. I had brought back a piece of coal from the depths of the Vouhledar mine, and the idea came to me to use it as the sole pigment for the prints. The technique of gum bichromate then became the obvious choice.
This mineral coal pigment is not designed for this type of technique. However, through trial and error, the images eventually emerged, each revealing its own truth through a rough satin finish and reflections that no other technique can achieve. Each print thus becomes unique.
Today, Hennadiy's mine and the city of Vouhledar no longer exist, destroyed by Russian bombardments. After spending a month sheltering in their cellar with his wife and his disabled mother-in-law, they decided to flee. They endured 25 days of hardship and wandering before reaching the unoccupied part of Ukraine, leaving behind several thousand dollars and losing over 10 kilos.
It is a tragic story that nevertheless had a happy ending. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many others.
This mineral coal pigment is not designed for this type of technique. However, through trial and error, the images eventually emerged, each revealing its own truth through a rough satin finish and reflections that no other technique can achieve. Each print thus becomes unique.
Today, Hennadiy's mine and the city of Vouhledar no longer exist, destroyed by Russian bombardments. After spending a month sheltering in their cellar with his wife and his disabled mother-in-law, they decided to flee. They endured 25 days of hardship and wandering before reaching the unoccupied part of Ukraine, leaving behind several thousand dollars and losing over 10 kilos.
It is a tragic story that nevertheless had a happy ending. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many others.
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