A mari usque ad mare. This verse from the bible, translated from the Latin as “From sea to sea”, is the Canadian national motto. Based in Montreal, the photographer Valérian Mazataud, a naturalised Canadian citizen for several years, was inspired by his own experience to document the citizenship ceremony where he himself swore an oath to the Queen of the United Kingdom. The outcome of a process, obtaining a new nationality, a new identity and the geographic location imply the choice of the title .
Initially filmed by the photographer on a video camera, the ceremony is displayed on his television screen which he then shoots as still digital images, drawing out a more institutional vision. A double reading that plays on the ambivalence between the emotions of the participants and the protocol of the ceremony: “This event had a great impact on me when I became a citizen and I wanted to document it”, explained the photographer. “All the more so since each one signs an image rights release form before the ceremony, there are about 300 people, of many different origins, and I can photograph them. […] I had already thought of a double image process, which proved to make sense of the research. It’s a double point of view of the citizenship ceremony, that of the participant, which I was, and that of the photojournalist.”
The camera, which was used by his uncle for filming family reunions, allows him to shoot close-ups of the participants without being intrusive in order to create an intimacy with each one during the administrative process. Strong emotion is released by this important moment in the lives of some who have endured perilous journeys and who have arrived at this final stage in the process. In total, 600 to 700 people attend these ceremonies across Canada. Valérian Mazataud attended many of these meetings and will soon complete his body of work with a residence in Ottawa, which will take place at an exhibition to mark the 150th anniversary of Canada in 2017.
Sophie Bertrand
Currently, you can visit the installation The Ends of the Earth at the Rencontres Internationales de Gaspésie in Québec until the end of October.
Valerian Mazataud, The Ends of the Earth
Centre culturel de Paspébiac
7, boulevard Gérard-D.-Levesque Est
Paspébiac, Canada
http://www.focuszero.com/
http://www.hanslucas.com/vmazataud/photo
