Photography essay "Comme On Peut," co-produced with Sylvain Demange, aims to document the enduring memory of a First World War battle in 1915 and its present-day impact on the population of a French village, a century after the battle occurred.
In 1915, approximately 50,000 French and German soldiers perished within a few months while vying for control of a small hill that overlooked a heavily fortified position held by German forces. This battle holds additional significance as it saw the involvement of renowned writers of the time, such as Ernst Jünger and Maurice Genevoix, while others, like Alain Fournier and Louis Pergaud, were killed or went missing.
The project entails conducting interviews and on-site archaeological work in collaboration with individuals responsible for preserving the memory of those who fought and died in this location. The work also captures landscapes and remnants of the battlefield.
The project was developed and executed between 2011 and 2017. It was subsequently chosen for inclusion in the national events commemorating the centenary of the First World War in France. An exhibition was held at France's Verdun Memorial in 2017, accompanied by the publication of a photography book that complemented the exhibition.
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