FACING SILENCE (2001-2002)
Christophe Agou had lived in New York since 1992. After the events of 9/11 he felt the strong desire to return to the Forez, the region of France where he had been born. Once back, Agou was gripped by the authentic life of the local farmers. ‘The more I saw of it’, the photographer says, ‘the more I wanted to immerse myself in the silence that appeared to surround their way of life.’ From that time he traveled regularly to the region to record the life of these traditional farmers in photographs, audiotapes and video. ‘The echo of countless generations can be heard in their lives.’ That, Agou says, explains his fascination. ‘At the same time, you see that their way of life is threatened with extinction.’
