The history of the famous procession of the Holy Blood in Veurne, Belgium, dates back to 1646, when it was introduced under Spanish rule in Flanders. Every last day of July, this grandiose procession attracts a large audience.
It stands out as Europe's most northerly procession of penitents. Along the way, striking reconstructions of scenes from the Old and New Testaments are enacted by costumed actors. The 250 anonymous, barefoot penitents carry a cross on their shoulders, a poignant symbol of their faith and quest for redemption. As for Christ, he carries an imposing cross weighing almost 40 kilos.
The parade, punctuated by the sound of bells, also heralds the end of the local fair festivities, accentuating the solemn, religious atmosphere that envelops this exceptional event.
At the crossroads of the Latin and Nordic worlds, between the North Sea, the Meuse and the Rhine, Belgium is a "pretty little country" that offers many opportunities for celebration. Festivities are the memory of the past, and the protagonists love being part of a tradition that never forgets humor. They are the worthy descendants of James Ensor and René Magritte, and practice excess and rigor, with surrealism never absent from their festivities.
I wanted to be in the midst of these actors and capture their involvement in the story they were playing, attaching great importance to lighting and framing.
These situations, which seemed particularly photographic to me, were the source of some fifteen reports.
- Binche, which organizes competition between neighborhoods to see who can wear the most beautiful carnival costume, or the most original.
- Wigene presents truculent scenes from Brueghel's paintings.
- Ypres with its procession of witches and (stuffed) cat throwing.
- Malmédy, a Rhineland carnival that defies authority and empowers the humble.
- Furnes and its penitents hoping for forgiveness.
- Waterloo and its thousands of participants pitting Napoleon's armies against the Prussians, British and Dutch. By re-enacting the battle, the French would like to change the course of history forever and defeat the English.
"Actor since 1969, I have worked with many film and television directors. I discovered photography in the 1980s, and have practiced it ever since. Naturally, I became interested in parties that feature actors for a day who are totally committed to their role. I rediscovered the scenography, stories, situations, costumes and make-up of theater. Belgium offered me abundant and varied photographic playgrounds."
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