The artist Laura Henno is exhibiting her work on migration at the FRAC in Clermont-Ferrand until November 3rd. The exhibition presents her work on the Indian Ocean region and some photos of Calais. She tackles complex subjects with the nuance and distance provided while working over long period of time.
Photographing Marginalized Communities
Laura Henno’s work focuses on communities on the margins of society. In 2009, she went on a residency on the French island of la Réunion and discovered a slum near the center of the island. She spent a lot of time with the community that welcomed her, photographing its residents and having them pose—a recurring element in her work. Thus, while the images are meticulously crafted and pre-conceived by Laura Henno, they appear unadorned to the viewer. The photographer subsequently traveled annually to Mayotte, a former French colony turned overseas territory, to meet young Comorians who had migrated to the island and lived near the beaches of the Indian Ocean.
“The first contact wasn’t easy. I watched them on the beach and filmed the dogs that always accompanied them. They surrounded me and asked me to stop. I returned a week later to explain my project about their community. Over time, we learned to trust each other,” she says.
Laura Henno photographed the daily lives of these young men on the beaches of Mayotte. Her work reverses the traditional media portrayal of migrants by seeking a vision free of any moral judgment.
Young Smugglers in Focus
Adolescence is a recurring theme in Laura Henno’s work. She met young Comorians in Mayotte, including smugglers. She gives them faces and voices, filming them, as in the work “Koropa,” which follows the training of a young smuggler. Patron is 12 years old. In the middle of the night, his uncle teaches him to drive a boat. Later, Patron will be alone to make the trips between Mayotte and the other Comorian islands. With a sharp eye, he is on the lookout for potential dangers at sea. Laura Henno followed Patron for several years and met the young man’s cousins, who are also smugglers. A smooth crossing takes six hours. Patron and his cousins consider themselves “ethical smugglers.” Unlike other smugglers, they do not overload their boats and disembark in Mayotte as planned. Some smugglers stop at the island of M’Tsamboro, the namesake of the exhibition, forcing migrants to pay for another trip to reach their final destination: Mayotte.
Laura Henno’s work is accompanied by three films: “Koropa,” “Djo,” and “Ge Ouryao! Pourquoi t’as peur!”—a triptych capturing the complexity and harshness of a crossing.
FRAC Auvergne
The FRAC in Clermont-Ferrand opened in 1984. It has engaged in a decentralization process through the “Hors les murs” program. About forty cities in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region host contemporary art exhibitions in partnership with the FRAC of Clermont-Ferrand.
Laura Henno – M’Tsamboro
From June 29, 2024, to November 3, 2024
FRAC Auvergne
6 rue du Terrail 63000 Clermont Ferrand
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 2 PM to 6 PM and Sunday from 3 PM to 6 PM
Website
