The school picture is a sociological phenomenon that appeared around 1860.
It consists of photographing students from the same class all looking toward the camera.
It is much more difficult today to capture the attention of a group. The camera has become an everyday object. Out of the school context, the equation of bringing together a setting, placing the characters and attracting their attention is virtuoso.
During a ceremonial lunch at the French consulate in Jeddah, the idea of a school picture arose. I made the proposal to the consul with an expectation close to zero. He found the idea excellent.
It took the authority of the consul, backed up by very loud orders from me, to win the general attention.
The sum of constraints acts on the diversity of the collection. I have been unconsciously nurturing this work since the 1990s.
Thierry Bouët
