Stanislas
Guigui

Stanislas Guigui

biography

French photographer, Stanislas Guigui, member of Agence VU’, was born in Paris in 1969.

Driven by the desire to explore the dark sides of our societies, Stanislas Guigui has been building since 1996 an auteur photographic work around the social themes of exclusion and marginal worlds. He questions, without moralism, our capacity for indignation at the injustices created by our own social structures.

In 1996, he moves off to Colombia. As a consequence of the civil war, thousands of homeless people haunt the streets of Bogota and more precisely of El Cartucho district, the biggest Cour des Miracles in South America. In 2003, Stanislas Guigui is accepted by the residents of that neighbourhood. He will take photographs of them during the next 3 years, showing their miserable living conditions, the smoking of crack and the fights between men armed with knives.

His photographic work “El Cartucho“, completed by a feature film, has been awarded at PhotoEspana in 2006.  In addition to this documentary work, Stanislas Guigui produced “Atras de Muros” a series of portraits of the inhabitants of the district literally posing “back to the wall”. “We are at the end of the testimony, at the end of the moral. The time has come for the wretched to play with the device and its operator (…) Only those who know they are going to die can look at you like that. Lucid, smiling at the corner of his lips. Only the undead have the ability to face us like this” (François Cheval).   This work was rewarded by UNICEF in 2008 and then published by Editions Images Plurielles in 2014.

Now settled in Marseilles, Stanislas Guigui photographes its northern districts, and drew the portrait of the “Gueules d’OM” as part of Marseille, European Capital of Culture. Among other topics, he documents the tour of the strippers of the “Cabaret New Burlesque” (Le Chêne, 2011), the extraordinary daily life of the second largest man in the world, the 18 months of a mother and her dwarf son from Romania in Marseille, and thus continues his work in tribute to the miserable Hugolians, the marginalized, the bohemians.

Stanislas Guigui’s works are also regularly exhibited at international photographic events such as Visa pour l’Image (Perpignan, France), PhotoEspagna (Madrid, Spain), the International Photo Festival in Lianzhou (China), Photokina (Cologne, Germany), ImageSingulières (Sète, France), or the Angkor Photo Festival (Siem Reap, Cambodia).

Series

El Cartucho, 2019

Serie | Stanislas Guigui lived for 3 years in the El Cartucho district of Bogota, located in the city centre, two blocks from the presidential palace. Abandoned by the bourgeoisie in the 1950s during the Bogozato era, this district has become a refuge for the poor.

Mongol Warriors, 2013

Each year during summer, Mongolia celebrates the Naadam. This week-long festivity celebrates the country’s independence from China.

Atras del Muro, 2013

The untamed “Neros” agreed to take part in a photo session organised like a fashion show. If I chose to have my models pose « behind » a wall, rather than in front of a wall, it’s because I believe that our modern societies tend to erect walls - visible or not - between people.

Cabaret New Burlesque, 2011

Serie | This work was made by following the Cabaret New Burlesque for 2 months during their last tour in Paris, from the Theatre de la Cité to their nominations at the César 2011.

Calle del Cartucho, 2009

Serie | Displaced by the armed conflict that tears apart the country since over 60 years, dozens of thousands of homeless people are invading the streets of Bogota, the capital of Colombian.

Cuchillo Bohemio, 2009

Serie | Determined to survive since birth, Neros love to defy death and are ready to die or kill to prove their bravery, or madness. 


El Cartucho, 2019

Serie | Stanislas Guigui lived for 3 years in the El Cartucho district of Bogota, located in the city centre, two blocks from the presidential palace. Abandoned by the bourgeoisie in the 1950s during the Bogozato era, this district has become a refuge for the poor.

Mongol Warriors, 2013

Each year during summer, Mongolia celebrates the Naadam. This week-long festivity celebrates the country’s independence from China.

Atras del Muro, 2013

The untamed “Neros” agreed to take part in a photo session organised like a fashion show. If I chose to have my models pose « behind » a wall, rather than in front of a wall, it’s because I believe that our modern societies tend to erect walls - visible or not - between people.

Cabaret New Burlesque, 2011

Serie | This work was made by following the Cabaret New Burlesque for 2 months during their last tour in Paris, from the Theatre de la Cité to their nominations at the César 2011.

Calle del Cartucho, 2009

Serie | Displaced by the armed conflict that tears apart the country since over 60 years, dozens of thousands of homeless people are invading the streets of Bogota, the capital of Colombian.

Cuchillo Bohemio, 2009

Serie | Determined to survive since birth, Neros love to defy death and are ready to die or kill to prove their bravery, or madness. 


El Cartucho, 2019

Serie | Stanislas Guigui lived for 3 years in the El Cartucho district of Bogota, located in the city centre, two blocks from the presidential palace. Abandoned by the bourgeoisie in the 1950s during the Bogozato era, this district has become a refuge for the poor.

Mongol Warriors, 2013

Each year during summer, Mongolia celebrates the Naadam. This week-long festivity celebrates the country’s independence from China.

Atras del Muro, 2013

The untamed “Neros” agreed to take part in a photo session organised like a fashion show. If I chose to have my models pose « behind » a wall, rather than in front of a wall, it’s because I believe that our modern societies tend to erect walls - visible or not - between people.

Cabaret New Burlesque, 2011

Serie | This work was made by following the Cabaret New Burlesque for 2 months during their last tour in Paris, from the Theatre de la Cité to their nominations at the César 2011.

Calle del Cartucho, 2009

Serie | Displaced by the armed conflict that tears apart the country since over 60 years, dozens of thousands of homeless people are invading the streets of Bogota, the capital of Colombian.

Cuchillo Bohemio, 2009

Serie | Determined to survive since birth, Neros love to defy death and are ready to die or kill to prove their bravery, or madness. 


Interviews

Photographer Spotlight: Stanislas Guigui
LA Review Books
—
2016

Driven by the desire to explore the dark sides of our societies, Stanislas Guigui has been building since 1996 an auteur photographic work around the social themes of exclusion and marginal worlds. He questions, without moralism, our capacity for indignation at the injustices created by our own social structures.

Interview with Stan Guigui, photographer
La Ville de Paris
—
2014

Interview with French photographer Stan Guigui, on the occasion of the release of his book « Atras del Muro » and opening of his exhibition at La Galerie Particulière, Paris.

Stan Guigui – Chemin de traverse
France 2
—
Interview by Anthony Mutti, 2013

Stan Guigui guest of Philippe Lefait in the program “Chemins de traverse” (France 2), talks about his work on the Cartucho district in Bogota, Colombia and his series on OM.
As part of Marseille, European Capital of Culture, the Marseille Olympique commissioned photographer Stan Guigui to produce a series of portraits of emblematic players, past and present, young hopefuls, coaches, women’s team players and supporters.

Fnac Studio : Stan Guigui
La Fnac
—
2012

Following the success of the special “Mother’s Day” edition, Fnac once again set up its ephemeral photo studios on 5, 6 and 7 October in six Parisian stores. The photographers of the prestigious Agence VU’ were each able to propose their own universe and vision of the Family Portrait.

books

El Cartucho

Editions du Chêne – Hors Collection - 2018

Atras del Muro

Images plurielle - 2014

Cabaret New Burlesque

Editions du Chêne - 2011

El Cartucho

Editions du Chêne – Hors Collection - 2018

Atras del Muro

Images plurielle - 2014

Cabaret New Burlesque

Editions du Chêne - 2011

El Cartucho

Editions du Chêne – Hors Collection - 2018

Atras del Muro

Images plurielle - 2014

Cabaret New Burlesque

Editions du Chêne - 2011

AWARDS

UNICEF Award

For the series “”Atras del Muro”

2008

PhotoEspana Award

For his work “Calle del Cartucho”

2006