Doniambo
The Doniambo industrial complex (Société Le Nickel), located on the shores of the New Caledonian lagoon, just outside the capital Nouméa, is a striking presence.
This photographic series attempts to capture the aesthetic qualities, textures, contrasts, and visual atmosphere of the complex, which may not initially appear so.
The silhouettes of the cranes cast their shadows on the docks, ready to unload the ore or load the ferronickel produced onto cargo ships. Clinging to the riverbank, the power plant, with its ten chimneys, generates the energy needed to smelt the ore. In the background, mountains of slag (solid residue from the ore smelting process) dominate the site, awaiting a second life. The dominant color of the site is red in all its shades. This veil of dust covers all the facilities, at the heart of which molten ore flows day and night.
If you happen to be there, you will see a stylized, monumental female face on one of the industrial site’s buildings. I leave the interpretation to you; it simply allows me to bring this artistic dialogue to a close.
