Mapping Session - Skateboarding & Photography

To extend the exhibition République, on display at the Théâtre du Nord through January 2027, the Institut pour la photographie is hosting an immersive evening at the Halle de Glisse: Bérangère Fromont’s photographs will be projected there in sync with the demonstrations by the skateboarders and scooter riders of Lille Sessions Libres.

On Friday, December 4, the Institute will be celebrating skate culture. Starting at 7:30 p. m., skateboarders and scooter riders will take over the obstacles at the Halle de Glisse, where photographs by Bérangère Fromont will be projected, animated by VJ Pablo Gracias to a set by DJ Badie. A unique and immersive way to (re)discover the photographer’s work and the talent of local riders.

Bérangère Fromont, who has been exploring the concept of resistance for several years, is interested in this practice because, from its very beginnings, skateboarding has established itself as a counterculture. Even today, it carries within it the seeds of a rejection of the established order, the idea of non-productive action, and the appropriation of public space. By focusing on Place de la République in Paris—an iconic site of popular protest—the photographer quickly turned her attention to the skateboarders who, by claiming the square as their own on a daily basis, embody a form of diffuse resistance.

About Our Partners

↘︎ La Halle de Glisse is a piece of equipment from the City of Lille dedicated to board sports for everyone. A must-visit destination for fans of skateboarding, rollerblading, BMX, and freestyle scooters, it features an indoor skatepark, a rollerblading track, and a dance studio, as well as an outdoor streetpark open to the public and a graffiti area.

La Halle de Glisse – Website

↘︎ Lille Sessions Libres (LSL) is a multidisciplinary club dedicated to urban board sports: skateboarding, freestyle scooter, inline skating, and BMX. It is one of the organizations based at the Halle de Glisse.

Lille Open Sessions – Instagram

↘︎ Les Rencontres Audiovisuelles is a cultural association based in the Hauts-de-France region, active since 1998 and dedicated to promoting new forms of visual art. Its main activities include: promotion—organizing events such as the International Short Film Festival from Lille, the Animation Festival , and management of the cultural venue L'hybride in Lille —, media literacy — school screenings ( Ciné Soupe ), creative workshops and media literacy programs for all ages—and Video Mapping—a European leader in video mapping creation, training, and production (through the European Center for Video Mapping )

Les Rencontres Audiovisuelles – Website