A FIRE FROM THE INSIDE
A Fire From The Inside is a project created by Romain Fabry, a photographer from France working in the spheres of architecture and photojournalism. The project brings our attention to the local forest in the South West of France saved by the firefighters. The tranquility and the dark colors of the forest come in contrast to the bright images of the Dune of Pilat, a tourist location in the same area. The theme of memory is at the center of this project: the forest as it was before, in childhood memories, and how it appeared after it went up in flames.
Another theme that unfolds is architecture versus nature, the created and shaped environment to accommodate human needs as opposed to the untouched state of nature. As Romain puts it in our conversation, “Photographing this area was about trying to understand how humans interact with their environment and the visual impact it brings.” We speak with Romain about the importance of the unfortunate occurrence and the location. We also discuss the creation of the project discovering the two opposing worlds of the forest and the desert in their striking contrast.
‘This forest is part of our environment. Since I was a child, I have seen it grow and evolve. I like its unique scent in the summer. It feels peaceful and imposing.’
Hi Romain, it’s a pleasure to present A Fire From The Inside in WÜL. How did the idea to photograph a saved from burning forest come about?
Hi WÜL, and thank you for this interview.
I am from the South West of France, and this forest is part of our environment. Since I was a child, I have seen it grow and evolve. I like its unique scent in the summer. It feels peaceful and imposing. I have some of my favorite places, where I used to spend time when I was young, as little well-kept secrets. The forest that was always there, so close, and yet that we no longer saw. The incidents of this summer reminded us how much it was present, how much we needed it. And as a fading souvenir, we were afraid. So afraid that I ran as if to capture what I had seen. To memorize that we had avoided the worst. And there, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again.
‘I plunged into the forest, still smoked by the last ashes the firefighters were trying to put out.’
In this project, you emphasize the striking contrast between the images of the forest with no visible human trace (apart from the forest machinery) and the desert, the Dune of Pilat, a famous tourist destination in France. What was your experience from both places, searching for the right frame for the series?
From an aesthetic point of view, this place is truly incredible. It provides a diversity of landscapes, shapes, and colors that made me wander through a fascinating journey. I first discovered these trucks along the road coming to clear the way and adding an apocalyptic atmosphere to the whole. Then, I plunged into the forest, still smoked by the last ashes the firefighters were trying to put out. I walked for a long time, guided by the setting sun and its warm evening light until I reached the Dune du Pilat — bright, intact. From colors and organic lines of the forest and its foggy evening atmosphere to the desert emptiness with its geometry shaped by the wind. Two worlds, facing each other and cohabiting to form a coherent whole of light and shadow that complements in a picture.
‘It is then a symbol of our lives today — as an allegory of the modern world, where human beings and their thirst for growth have finally managed to exhaust a world that we thought was infinite.’
The story is built in a way that leaves hope and provides a sense of relief. Although there is danger in the burning of the forest, not necessarily in a specific location but on a worldwide scale, it can be saved by humans. More so, leading the viewer from the darker images of the burnt trees to the sunlit area with an open horizon in the forest is healing, in a way. At what point did you decide to include the Dune of Pilat in the series?
This place is quite unique, on one side, a huge pine forest, and on the other side, an impressive dune overhanging the ocean, offering an incredible panoramic view. From the top, the contrast is striking, as well as the calm that reigns there. This giant of sand stands like a wall and reminds us of what we are, insignificant and dependent on nature and its wealth to survive. It is then a symbol of our lives today — as an allegory of the modern world, where human beings and their thirst for growth have finally managed to exhaust a world that we thought was infinite. And so the Dune stopped the fire to remind us of this sad truth, while we are endangering life in its entirety, the Earth, with all its resilience, will overcome the peril and survive us.
‘Photographing this area was about trying to understand how humans interact with their environment and the visual impact it brings.’
Most of your personal projects are focused on the beauty of architecture, the fine lines of the exteriors of the buildings, at times, with a hint at nature and the environment. What was the shift in perspective that led you to create a project that leaves behind any constructions or buildings and focuses on nature and people?
It was not so far from what I usually like to do. One fundamental point in common is the place of the human hand in the creation of these forms. As with architecture, the environment we know today has nothing truly natural about it. Its forms serve very specific purposes, whether aesthetic for tourism or functional to support human life and developments. Moreover, forest fires and storms that have occurred in recent decades have forced people to maintain, replant, and thus shape the environment in a new way. Photographing this area was about trying to understand how humans interact with their environment and the visual impact it brings.
What project are you currently working on?
I am currently working on various projects related to a more social purpose. The current crisis forces us to participate, at least modestly, in the reflection on the future of our society. There is a will, among many of us, to give meaning to what we do, hoping that photography could help in finding some answers.
