On January 29, the Atelier Yann Arthus-Bertrand opened the exhibition D’Himalaya by Jérôme Gence, a young photographer sponsored by the filmmaker Eric Valli. Hailing from the island of Reunion, where he grew up, Jérôme discovered the Himalayas at school thanks to guest speakers. The Himalayas became his childhood dream—a dream which came true in 2015 with the artist’s arrival in Nepal, on the eve of the earthquake, following an over year-long journey from Paris. It was on the road, which he traveled mainly as a hitchhiker, that the artist chose photography as a way of approaching local population and sharing his earlier encounters.
The images from that odyssey are presented in Paris for the first time, and will be on display until February 13. They are an invitation to discover the hidden face of the Himalayas, of the men and women Jérôme Gence had dreamed about as a child. Traveling with a backpack and with no set itinerary, he let his encounters guide his steps and his vision. In the semi-darkness of dwellings, by the fire, or in monasteries, Jérôme Gence came in close contact with the Himalayan people.
“I met with this radiant young man in a restaurant in Katmandu. Stories of travel on a shoestring budget, on foot, by bike, or hitchhiking, completely immersed in local culture: Armenia, Iran, China… months of wandering and getting a feel for things. His love for the Himalayas and its inhabitants whom he approached in a sensitive, astute, and humble way; and then the photos which emanate sincerity and simply reflect what kind of a person Jérôme is. There was complicity in adventure and art between us and, naturally, a shared journey.” Eric Valli
EXHIBITION
D’Himalaya
Jérôme Gence
From January 29th to February 13th, 2016
Atelier Yann Arthus-Bertrand
15 rue de Seine
75006 Paris
France
http://www.atelieryab.com
