Pictures of an inhibition

La foire exposition d'Angers qui se tient jusqu'au 1er mai inclus a ménagé un espace à une exposition photographique consacrée aux anciens salariés d'Angers Technicolor. Cette entreprise qui a employé plusieurs milliers de personnes et fut l'un des emblèmes de l'industrialisation de l'Angers d'après-guerre a définitivement fermé ses portes en octobre 2012. A travers les photos de ces hommes et femmes encore inhibés par ce traumatisme, l'exposition suscite une réflexion sur l'avenir économique de la ville et de ses habitants et fait en cela oeuvre utile. 

Credit : Marc Leclerc in Foire d'Angers

Angers Technicolor, the symbol of post-war years industrialisation of the city, which closed its doors in october 2012, is the issue of a photographical exhibition hosted by the town fair from April 26th to May 1st. That look towards a sad event - 350 employees lost their jobs - is due to Marc Leclerc, amateur photographer who "shot" the former employees of that factory, which, at its peak, gave work to more than 3,000 persons. Those pictures look to express the disbelief [incrédulité] of the last men and women of Angers Technicolor who passed there until 10, 20, or even maybe more than 30 years.

The persons are pictured alone in their former office or workshop. Their immobility make them look as statues. The characters look to be confused and for good reason : with the disappearance of their job, a new, and for most of them, difficult period of their life has started given their are in their fifty. As for the offices and workshops, they are empty. The activity they hosted has vanished. There are no materials, no tools or files. The place looks to be a museum and already belongs to the past.

But the photographical exhibition, through the faces of its characters, asks questions about what happened to them but also to Angers and its inhabitants and above all what is going to happen? Is the industry disappearance something unavoidable ? What is the economic fate of the city and its population? The exhibition is so very current because its theme, the loss of Angers competitiveness, was at the core of the last municipal campaign. The tribute paid by Marc Leclerc to the victims of such a drama may be very stimulating for the necessary reflections in the years to come.