The People of the Dunes / Rivages

Since 2022, the Institute has been developing outreach projects for students at the Regional Special Education School in Berck-sur-Mer. The school serves both students with disabilities and students enrolled in specialized programs (notably in optometry and dentistry).

Each year, one or more artists spend a week immersed in the school, working with students to develop a photography project during their free time (particularly in the evenings).

Together with Lionel Pralus and Py Niouf, the participants created a story set in the dunes bordering their school. Combining photography, writing, sound recordings, and 3D sculpture, the project also resulted in a limited-edition publication and an installation at the Institut pour la photographie.

Together with Hideyuki Ishibashi, they combined archival photographs (including postcards) with images they created themselves using local flora (dune plants, sand, salt, etc.). Each student created an art box and a postcard-sized artist’s book, drawing inspiration from the work of Joseph Cornell. 

The project was also featured in an exhibition at the Berck Museum.