Studio Grandassa – workshops with Hélène Jayet

This project offers an introduction to studio photography through the exhibition ‘Black is Beautiful : Kwame Brathwaite’. It invites students to explore the concepts of identity, representation, and cultural pride through the practice of studio photography.
Pupils draw inspiration from the Grandassa Models, emblematic figures of the ‘black is beautiful’ movement who asserted their identity through their clothing, headpieces, and creative designs. Each student is invited to create a head accessory to compose a portrait that explores their own uniqueness.

Following a tour of the exhibition at the Center, the children collectively create a photographic backdrop in class before the artist’s visit to their school.
The photographs are taken by Hélène Jayet, a French visual artist and photographer of Malian origin. She is the creator of the ‘Chin-up – colored only!’ project (2013) ; her artistic research started with an extensive study of Afro hair.

This workshop serves as an introduction to studio photography. Students discover the importance of lighting, backdrops, and framing before taking turns both in front of and behind the lens.

Participating Schools: Les 3 Collines (Mougins), Clément Rebuffel (Mougins), Le Devens (Mougins), Saint-Martin-de-Gioue (Mougins), Cougoussoles (Le Cannet).