Anita Conti — La mer jamais ne s’oublie
As part of the exhibition “La mer jamais ne s’oublie” at Les Champs Libres in Rennes, which brings together five female perspectives on the sea, its beauty, its mysteries and its fragility, Anita Conti – a trailblazer in her field – is in the spotlight
From the late 1930s onwards, Anita Conti set sail, the only woman on board, on trawlers, oceanographic vessels and military ships. Throughout her life, she never ceased to confront these vast expanses, seeking to understand them and to capture, through photography and writing, all their nuances, beauty and fragility. A pioneer in so many respects, she was notably among the first to highlight the dangers of overfishing.
Decades later, a new generation of artists is turning its attention to the seas and oceans. Like Anita Conti before them, they observe, grow alarmed, and imagine narratives that are by turns spellbinding and unsettling.
Juliette Pavy accompanies a crew of scientists on an oceanographic vessel studying pollution and acidification in the Mediterranean. Julie Bourges documents the work of women—fisherwomen or shipwrights—who are carving out a place for themselves in such a male-dominated environment. Marine Lanier explores the evocative power of the maritime world by inventing a tale of fantastical and poetic adventures. Through photography, film and visual installations, Manon Lanjouère reveals the ruins of a marine world ravaged by human exploitation.
These perspectives on the sea are directed at us. They serve as a reminder, as Anita Conti wrote: “for all those who have forgotten that the sea is never forgotten”
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