Description of the book :

A Photography book, “FAUBOURG TREME”, self-produced and delivered by Pyramid.

Photographies shot mostly with Middle Frame Analog Camera.

I’m happy to work with the Graphic Design Studio “Fables”, and the distributor “Pyramid” to release my first Book “FAUBOURG TREME”, next October.

It’s a 120 pages Book, printed in offset, 24x29,7 cm à la Francaise + one small book with captions. A picture will be featured in the middle of the dark blue fabric cover of the book. A golden Typography will be written on the spine, evoking the brasses from New Orleans.

Some audio samples (Gospel songs from church, traditional singings from indians at Mardi Gras, Brass bands, Second lines…) from New Orleans will be available to hear threw QR codes.

The book will be released during my personal exhibition at the Gallery “Art en Transe”, October 12, 2017, in Paris.

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Who am I ?

In 2012 I realized my first long photographic project in a favela of Rio de Janeiro where I lived 6 months. It was here that I was able to make my first documentary photo series, as well as a video documentary. It is above all human relations that inspire and excite me.

I felt it was essential to get to the next level by completing this second major personal project on New Orleans in the form of a first book.

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Origine du projet

This work is the result of a report self-financed since 2015 in New Orleans. I went there for the first time in August 2015 for two months before going back the following year. There are many similarities between Louisiana and my home country, Armenia.

There are many similarities between Louisiana and my country of origin, Armenia. That they are a victim of a natural disaster or a crime against humanity, a doggedness of the history(story) bruised these populations, but never overcame, on the contrary even, their fighting spirit …

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Here, as in my travels, I have witnessed a people faced with a key issue : the reconstruction. Despite the terrible adversity of life, in the rubble or precariousness, a strengh leads these people. A survival instinct transcend these women, men and children. It is this vital force which I wanted to retranscribe in this series, bringing me to these people, where the strength of their expression view each of my portraits.

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Music played a major role in this reconstruction. During the slave trade, the slaves were already meeting every Sunday on "Congo Square" to dance to the drums of their distant native land. Later, the "Creoles of color" or "free colored People" regularly gave concerts of brass instrument. Unknowingly, they put the bases of what would become one of the most fertile musical genres in the world : the Jazz. Since then, music has never left these places. On the contrary, it is mixed with many local cultures and interfererd in all aspects of life : religion, traditions education ...

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Ten years after the disaster of the hurricane Katrina, "Faubourg Treme" focuses on the daily lives of residents of Treme, legendary district of New Orleans, the birthplace of Afro-American culture. I decided to go and meet these people to follow them in their daily lives. For six months, I shared the life of these people. I noticed that the music was the key of this revival as an open door to the escape face the hostility of life.

"Faubourg Treme," this is the story of a neighborhood that survived. It is a tribute to the music, art life-saving and emancipating for these people. Art that has interfered in every aspect of life . Art that allowed people to live and resist.

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My partners

I am working with the Graphic Design Studio “Fables” to create the maquette, the Art Direction and Design.

http://studiofables.com/

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Why?

This book is very close to my heart and I’ve put a lot of thought in it. Unfortunately, the self-production of a book is expensive, too much for me alone. That’s why I’m asking for your help, through those pre-sales.

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FAUBOURG TREME

The publications