CROSSROADS "Different perspectives on the world"
Born out of encounters between Stéphane Scharlé, leader of the band OZMA, and five photographers from around the world, CROSSROADS: “Different Perspectives on the World” is an exhibition that celebrates the power of visual storytelling.
Over the course of a year-long tour, Stéphane Scharlé met with artists whose work tells the story of a country, its human landscapes, its divisions, and its transformations. From these exchanges emerged a unique project at the intersection of music and photography: a photo-concert, of which the exhibition—held at the Cité musicale de Metz—serves as a natural extension, inviting the public to immerse themselves in five perspectives on our changing world.
The works on display capture fragments of humanity through contrasting social realities: Luxembourg’s steel industry, immortalized by Mike Zenari in his series “1549°”; 30 years of concerts at Durban’s Rainbow Bar—the only place where blacks and whites mingled under apartheid—documented by South African photographer Rafs Mayet; the intimate and internationally acclaimed series by Beijing-based Wang Fuchun, “The Chinese in the Train,” a portrait of 40 years of change in Chinese society; and the uncompromising perspective of the French-speaking Calcutta-based photographer Arko Datto on modern India.
The exhibition also pays special tribute to Leila Alaoui, a committed Franco-Moroccan photographer who died ten years ago during the terrorist attacks in Ouagadougou on January 15, 2016. It was in Marrakech, in April 2018, that the first installment of CROSSROADS was born—the culmination of many months of dialogue with Leila’s family, particularly her mother, Christine Alaoui. Her powerful and activist work continues to resonate at the heart of the project.
Bringing together different narratives and fostering a dialogue between image and sound, CROSSROADS invites us to reflect on the fundamental role of photography as a witness to our times.
Partners
A production by La Compagnie Tangram.
With support from DRAC Grand Est, the Grand Est Region, the City of Strasbourg, and Adami.
This production received funding from the stART-up fund of the Œuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Leila Alaoui Foundation for its support and encouragement, as well as to the entire team at the Cité musicale de Metz for their hospitality and trust.
