Philippe Guionie

Délestage

Philippe Guionie

born in 1972 in Brive (France)

Délestage is a nocturnal immersion into the working-class Mardjandaffack neighborhood in N’Djamena, the Chadian capital. 

These square-format black and white photographs show a somber atmosphere in which silhouettes, lit by the photographer's motorcycle, seem to be dancing. 

With these images, Philippe Guionie illustrates the frequent power outages ("délestages") that happen in these areas.Read more

Beyond this material consideration, the series also shows the movements of a population that continues to live in the dark. The human figures that rise against the darkness invite us into a mysterious world and compel us to create our own narratives surrounding them. The decision to use black and white combined with this particular format stresses the enigmatic and abstract nature of the images.

This series was produced in 2011-2012 as part of an artist residency supported by the French Institute in Chad.