Observe the fold of her hands. Note how she has chosen to cover her eyes, to enfold herself in a dimness required for sleep. The other hand rests across her midriff, as slight in its possessive gesture as the careful manner she places her elbow on those flip-flops. Little can be made of the background—the depth of field ensures that—just as the lengthwise framing of the concrete slab clarifies what kind of portrait this is: a figure seen during the course of daylight, in the beauty of her repose.
— Emmanuel Iduma
This photograph was taken in Diego-Suarez, where my grandmother lives. I spent many summers at her house. In 2023, I was there on a research trip at the Alliance Française, thanks to Pro Helvetia. I taught the basics of photography by leading simple photo walks through the city. I also brought my 8x10 large format camera and decided to take four pictures along the walk. We stopped by the Place de la Musique, which is more of a small park with an old kiosk from the French colonial era. While there, we passed by a girl sleeping. I loved the way she slept because it reminded me of my friend who has the same sleeping posture. I suppose many people sleep that way. I remember taking a similar picture in a park in Antananarivo.
This photograph is part of an ongoing project called Sary Lava, where my goal is to photograph individuals all across Madagascar. I chose this photograph because I like the tension it captures. I had the time to carefully frame and compose the shot, thinking about the elements I wanted to include or exclude. Since I only had one shot at this, I took my time. She even woke up while I was setting up my camera, and we talked for a bit before Vanessa went back to sleep. She sells fruit on the streets of Diego-Suarez. What I really appreciate is how the experience of taking the picture contrasts with the final image. This is something very specific to this medium.
For me, photography is centered on people within their context and the concepts of trace and archive. I love photographing individuals who are part of a community because it carries socio-economic significance. Every time I photograph someone, I think about where they come from, how they live, what their dreams are, and how they struggle. In Madagascar, whatever you photograph, you are creating a social documentary.
— Jean Luc Andrianasolo
Jean Luc Andrianasolo (born 1983) is a graduate from the School of Applied Art (CEPV) in Vevey, Switzerland, specializing in photography. Since 2012, he has participated in solo and group exhibitions. Notably, he was selected for the Festival Voies-Off in Arles (2015), the vfg Nachwuchsförderpreis, and the Prix Levallois (2017). In 2019, he was commissioned for the Enquête photographique valaisanne. He lives in Geneva and frequently works on projects in Madagascar. Find out more about his work on his website, Instagram, and on Lensculture.
