Christopher Anderson arrived in Sete during a Saint Louis celebration evening. He immediately mingled amongst the jousters, became one of them, became a “Knight of the Tintaine”. He took part in the festivities without fuss and was then inspired for the project to be developed during his artist residency. Displayed everywhere around town to celebrate this ancestral tradition, the colors blue, white and red determined his pictures, his triptychs, and at the same time marked a real change in photographic direction. The indoor poses are juxtaposed with festive street scenes, in great detail, which help build a pure vision of Sete. The vision of a photographer from an “Anglo-Saxon” culture that is more inclined to raise the flag as a symbol than us, the French and especially the people of Sete, where it is easier to see people wearing T-shirts in the colors of Italy than the national republican emblem. But let’s not be mistaken here, Sete, however singular, and endearing it may be, is in France, and this is what Christopher Anderson wanted to remind us of, with his talent, his sincerity and his modesty. The man equals the photographer and that, for us, is priceless.
Christopher Anderson was born in British Columbia, Canada in 1970. He spent most of his childhood in Texas, before moving to New York and thereafter to Paris. From 1996, he gathered materials on the social issues related to the economic crisis in Russia, the plight of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and covered the election of Evo Morales in Bolivia for the American magazine US News and World Report. In 2000, he was awarded the Robert Capa Gold Medal for his work on Haitian emigrants trying to reach the United States. In 2001, he was nominated as Young photographer of the Year by the Kodak award for his subject on Gaza Strip stone throwers, and the same year received the Visa d’Or award at the Visa pour l’image festival (Perpignan) In 2003, he published his first monograph, Not Fiction, and in 2009 Capitolio was published by Les Editions Images en Manoeuvres. Christopher Anderson is a member of the Magnum photos agency .
EXHIBITION
Sète #12
Until June 3rd
Chapelle du quartier haut
42 bis Grande Rue Haute 34200 Sète
France
