In 2021, I was commissioned to take photographs of Port-de-Bouc (South of France) for an environmental urban development proposal. In the 1880s, with the construction of the Canal de Caronte, the city asserted its industrial and maritime vocation. In recent years, the city has undertaken a series of actions designed to meet environmental requirements and support the development of an attractive ecosystem for green innovation.
This commission became more than just an artistic assignment, it offered an excuse to travel further along the French Riviera and spend time with family I rarely get to see. That coastline carries a strong sense of personal history for me. It reminds me of childhood holidays: the smell of lavender drifting through the car windows on the route to the south, the games we played competing to spot the sea first, and the long evenings spent by the water around a campfire sharing food. I remember late swims with relatives, the boats rocking gently in the shallows, and the sea urchins that were always far more vicious than they looked.
The images created for this project are an exploration of the coast that weaves together these early memories with contemporary observations of urban development. They reflect both my personal connection to the region and the evolving landscape.
