Every city has its history, its own rhythm, and a particular way of life rooted in its evolution. The metropolis of our time is a living organism, both sheltering and devouring the individual. Neighborhoods are delineated by buildings, turning into microcosms. The houses and blocks are ephemeral, mutating cells. The further they are from the city’s core and the more they lie on the external membrane of the vibrant central substance, or even outside of it, the more their existence is subject to change justified by growth or political ideologies. They are built, only to be destroyed and built up again. One urbanistic vision after another pops up and is shattered, each degrading the setting. The cycle starts anew. The cityscape appears unstable.

Yohanne Lamoulère shows this phenomenon through her photographs. She is interested in the latest trends in urban redevelopment of peripheral neighborhoods and the consequences for their residents. The concepts for these transformations are often highly controversial, as they have not grown out of the neighborhood itself, but are imported, imposed, inflicted even.

When the public space no longer represents a common area defined within a community, the city turns into deception – “Ici ment la ville”!
How do you exist in a dishonest setting? Is it still liveable, appropriate for human beings, knowing that each of them needs to find their place to avoid getting lost in the anonymous crowd?
Every person must claim their individuality during their life. This quest for identity is assisted by a sense of place, finding one’s roots and identifying with one’s surroundings. This sense of self is an unfinished work, a constant process. A fertile soil is required for its development.
“Breaking the mold. Giving shape.”
In her images, Yohanne Lamoulère tells of this individual need: sowing confusion, opposing the lie, disarming predefined norms, swimming against the current. In short: living life to the fullest.