The Auer Ory Foundation for Photography presents the exhibition Philippe Gross: Honolulu–Pau Hana.
As a teenager, unable to find his place in Swiss society, Philippe Gross nourished the dream of sailing to distant horizons with three friends. At the same time, he had a passion: photography. The first indication of his talent came when he won first prize in photography at secondary school, an achievement confirmed by winning a second prize in Opticien Suisse magazine. Although he considers his photographic skills at the time modest, one should not underestimate the power of recognition, especially when one feels lost in a meaningless world – these two awards crystallized his identity as a photographer that he had developed since the age of 8, when he received his first camera.
