EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS 2022
Women of Provence: the favourites of the photo exhibition
Six guides visited the exhibition « Women of Provence » during the Heritage Days in September 2022. Our six volunteers selected from the 63 photos exhibited by André Abbe. They tell their favorite photos and the anecdotes they evoke.
Stories by Christèle Henriot, Nadia Nanot, Nadine Bérenguier, Jean-Pierre Serra, André Abbe and François Abbe.
6 GUIDES, 6 PHOTOS HEART
A woman brings flowers to the Good Mother in the Cians Valley – September 1995 – Photo André Abbe
What I like in this photo is the mix of worlds and modes. She shows on one side an elderly lady honouring the Virgin Mary by depositing flowers at the foot of an oratory, a practice that indicates her belonging to a Catholic and traditional world. On the other hand, in this world, objects of another age, a plastic supermarket bag, and Converse sneakers, symbols of modernity that contrast with the values that this lady represents. This somewhat unusual juxtaposition was called.
Nadine Bérenguier
The framing, the color (which comes out so much better on paper), the action. I like everything in this picture.
The fisherman's wife helps her husband. It's the '80s. Many women had their own jobs. But here we are in the accompaniment of the husband's profession. And this woman puts her whole heart in it. It gives a collegial dimension to this story...
Christele Henriot
Rémaillage des nets à Villefranche sur Mer (Alpes Maritimes) par Mme Roux, wife of fisherman, sur le quai du port – 1995 – Photo André Abbe
A loose spring of brown rock. Roquebrune's women come with their big bass. The gentle noise of the water welcomes them, and gradually leaves room for the sharp blows of the battens where the song that the stream makes so early mixes. It is a strong harmony that unites them. On the blessed shore, kneeling on the rock, bare feet and bare arms, women with a burin complexion, face lightened by the emerging spring sun.
The suspended time, a laundry in the wide iron basin deposited in the fresh grass. Soon blued by this still cold spring, this clear morning, the Maurette extends her arms, welcoming them to tint the long water fillets in this transparent space. He offers the promise of a time of palace.
In the shade of the large trees, they will spend the morning there and go back to the pot. The meal is ready... Some take care of laundry for others, while the spring makes a soft sound of trembling bells that laughs and sometimes the words of misery come to spread as if to exorcise the days that have passed.
Soon the source will come to appease the evils of these mothers, those women who find themselves in the Maurette... The stream resumes with promises to tell others very soon. The soothing heart and the laundry to dry, these women with the grace of a painting may resume their burden, letting go in the morning that stretches, leaving echo of the battlers.
The lighter heart, their beautiful arms still flowing with water droplets, under the midday sun.
Nadia Nanot
Always moving for me to find this 16th century Family House, after having previously recalled the millennial past of our Village by a walk in its Historical Heart, and to be able to comment on the more than sixty photos hung on these walls full of history ... Especially since this year again, many of them have brought me back to periods of my life, filled with magnificent memories, since the 1970s were « 20 years old », the 1980s « my children's » and the 1990s « First Magistrates » of this Commune where I am « born », where I grew up and where I've always lived...
Always as exciting for me as giving some anecdotes about these scenes of the daily life of the Women of Provence, but also about some of these highlights of the village life of our Commune, our Department or even our Region, as well as about the ancestral activities and/or traditions that we love... As much as the group that I guided this year included women who had shared some of these life segments, but also one of my friends « trouplen », « Fiber » and always an actor of the tropezian traditions much more competent than I to comment on the scenes of bravades and/or Provencal festivals...
So it's not obvious to isolate, some of the photos or some of the scenes from everyday life and to meet the requirements of this restitution exercise... Also, I will first remember some of the highlights I have commented on with more personal anecdotes...
The first is of course the time of harvest, as he has rhythmed most of my youth, for having shared it with various teams in the plain of the Argens or on the hills of Roquebruno, secateur by hand or « canesteo » on the shoulder, or even on the wheel of a tractor, or in the family warehouse by loading and unloading the crates for the « wine grapes »...
Jean-Pierre Serra
Reconstitution of Liberation in the Muy (Var) – Photo by André Abbe
This photo by André Abbe is timeless. She is one of the few digital photos of the exhibition « Woman of Provence ». The reconstitution of the Liberation in the village of Muy (Var) inspires. It inspires so much that an incredible number of visitors thought they recognized a parent or an ancestor.
The funniest anecdote: the colors make you think of an ancient photo although the photo dates back to the 2000s. However, someone recognized a distant parent. The person thought the photo dated August 15, 1944. The photographer was born on August 17, 1944 (day of the Liberation of Roquebrune on Argens!). The myth is still running!
François Abbe
It is a photo taken towards the end of a winter afternoon, in the garrigue of Uzes. It has a pictorial appearance, a razing light that plays in the foliage; The shepherdess, elegant in her cape, and her goats seem to take a break. And yet, as usual, I had not organized anything, put nothing on stage (assuming that goats could be laid). This lady was producing delicious pélardons.
It is also a souvenir of my young years, around 1980, and of my reports in the countryside for the agricultural press with my 4L van.
You will tell me that the country of Uzes is not in administrative Provence. But we speak of the same Provençal as in Arles and Saint Rémy. We are in the Provencal Gard. That's why I took the liberty of annexing it.
André Abbe
Chevrière dans la garrigue à Bourdiguet (Gard) dans les années 80 – Photo André Abbe
Your opinions on the exhibition "Women of Provence"
Beautiful exhibition! Too bad we haven't been able to meet Andre... So "at the year till Fri" in provencau ..... Thanks again for this good moment of sharing
Élise S.
Thank you so much! What a beautiful exhibition! What is remarkable in André's photos is that he shows us Provence as it is in itself, far away from tourist clichés and bling bling. People we've known... And what an emotion to find this beautiful village!
Philippe P.
Gramaci André!! Beautiful exhibition!!!
Aline N.
SOME HERITAGE DAYS PHOTOES 2022
THE THEME OF EXPO PHOTO 2023 ANNOUNCED GUIDELINE
Roquebrune in images, Women of Provence and after?
We think about the theme, the photographers to involve and also the financing of the exhibition.
To finance the 2023 exhibition, we offer souvenirs of Provence for sale.
EXPO PHOTO 2023 NEEDS YOU!
Support the next photo exhibition with our craft products 
!
Our book is printed in the Tarn, our postcards in the Alpes Maritimes and the essential oils diffuser is designed and cooked in Île de France.
100% of the funds collected from our memories of Provence will be used to finance the next photo exhibition in 2023.