Marion Gronier was published on the second day of La Lettre. Her project has since become a book and an exhibition. Here it is again.
“It’s Saturday. It’s cold in the changing rooms. I’ve got gooseflesh standing here barefoot in my knickers. Mummy forgot to take up Oceane’s dress for me, it’s too big as it is. Mummy’s getting cross, she can’t find the hole to thread the needle. I’m afraid she may scold me.
Mouth in a pout for the pink lipstick and eyes closed for the pearly eyeshadow, I’m pretty as a daisy. Mummy looks at the results with a very cold eye. In a short while she will be so proud of me that she’ll cry.
The stage is huge, a row of smiling faces all waiting and paying attention, like the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ladies and gentlemen, the members of the panel of judges. Behind, the mothers waiting anxiously, ready to spring! “It doesn’t matter if you don’t win, darling, Mummy will still love you”. In front of me, Fibie steps forward, walking with her toes turned in; she curtsies to the right, crosses over like an automaton, curtsies to the left. Next comes Luna, neat as a pin and out to kill, she’s the one who’s going to win.
“Number 3: Rose Coquelle”. Cauline, last year’s winner, holds my hand. She’s smiling impeccably, I try and do the same. My head is itching, my legs are trembling, my heart’s thumping in my throat, and the very loud music is floating off into the distance. I’m frightened, so frightened, I look for Mummy, she’s watching me, her mouth is smiling, her eyes are panic-stricken, she’s blowing kisses at me, no, she’s miming what I have to do: don‘t forget to blow some kisses to the panel. I walk quickly over to the corner at the front of the stage, I want to be somewhere else, escape, go into hiding. I bend my knees, get up,take a step, my heel’s stuck, I pull at it and the hem splits. Mummy shouted, I fell down.”
Marion Gronier
Marion Gronier was born in 1976, she lives in Paris.
Marion Gronier
I am your fantasy
Until March 10, 2012
Maison de la Photographie
18 Rue Frémy
59000 Lille
France
0033 3 20 05 29 29
I´m your Fantasy
Marion Gronier
Images en Manoeuvres editions
28 x 28 cm
48 pages
978-2-8499-5222-1
32,00 €
