#zonadealb

Title: Zona de Alb

Author: Gilles Mercier

Publisher: Self Publish

Website: http://www.gillesmercier.fr/

Year:  2017

Details: 2 books, Offset printing, on Quadri, 240gr & 130 gr

Place of Publication: Rome, Italy

Size:  148 mm x 210 mm

Pages: 24

Copies: 100 copies signed

Category: Photography

Where to Buy: http://www.gillesmercier.fr/books/

Description:

"In the 1950s, the Romanian authorities announced that leprosy, this “divine punishment” had been eradicated in Romania.

In actual fact, all the lepers had been sent in secrecy to Tichilesti

Officially recognised in the 1990s, but admitted nowhere, fourteen villagers still remain in this white zone, this territory of the forgotten, the “Zona de Alb”.

In 1999 ,  I took a path leading away from the main road that followed the Danube Delta.

My first encounters with these men and women “struck by divine vengeance” were also touched by this strange feeling of timelessness.

Most of the forty residents had lived here for several decades even when their illness had been detected, contained and treated in time...

Stable but marked in the flesh, the patients have learnt to reconstruct a social life

2016, i'm back in the area and  scientific and social progress have not followed the same path.

Healthcare, death and inactivity are daily realities but the on-site medical team though currently at a minimum constitutes their link to social life."

Review:

Today we gonna see the project "Zona de Alb" by the french photographer Gilles Mercier.

This project deeply surprised to me at many levels. First of all, it was my first approach to the work of Gilles and I must confess he is a very good photographer, then all the concept arround this project is very well thinked. This is a classical docummentary project on Romenia about the village of Tichilesti, this was the place were Romanian authorities send all the people with leper. Gilles was on this village in two different periods and now he presents two different publications to the same porject, this is one of my favorite parts of the project, the relation between this two separate moments.

The story itself is very good, and very strong and this is also reflected on his images, strong black and white images, and a good relation between people (portraits mostly), and the the village itself.

Another thing that I really enjoyed was the testimonies of these people, I think this add a lot to the project, because the project becomes even more real.

Regarding the books, they are very, very well printed, I love this paper and this printing, very impressive. Regarding the layount I have more doubts, I think is good but could be better, also the cover's they are nice and clean, but with a strong image...but this is only my view on it. The inside cover's in the other hand, are trully lovely!