exhibition ROBERT CHARLOTTE VÉYÉ LAVI’W
ROBERT CHARLOTTE | VÉYÉ LAVI’W
to
The Foundation is open 365 days a year. Exhibitions are free of charge from 9am to 6:30pm.
Practical informationLike any Martiniquan, I knew about the existence of pitts without really having been to one. Right from the first pitt session I attended, a great deal of emotion emanated from that world.
There was no cruelty or violence, but a great humanity. Though I thought I was entering a past world, I discovered a multitude of faces, young and old, male and female, revealing all the ‘liveliness’ of the pitt. Struck by the expressions on the faces, I discovered the tensions, anxieties and dreams of each person. An atmosphere of enthusiasts with clear social diversity. Regardless of the financial means of each person, it was the spirit of the game that mattered. Precious, elegant, modest, all mingle at the game. All that counts is the technique and expertise of the teams. Though the cockerel seems to the centre of the pitt, its true value comes from the people who have raised it, breeders, healers and stablemen. An array of gestures and signs cross the pitt in a way that is incomprehensible to the novice spectator. It quickly becomes clear that they all have a meaning and value.
The battles do not only take place in the arena, but also in the stands. While verbal confrontation and mockery are traded between players, trust and honesty govern the bets. Nothing is written down, everything is verbal and no complaints are heard. How can we pay tribute to the people who make this place so magical and who share and cultivate such human values? How can we translate these encounters into a series of photographic portraits?”
Robert Charlotte
