Ce qu'il se passe

In 2020, Mathieu Pernot visited the island of Lesbos several times. Located in the Aegean Sea, a few kilometers from the Turkish coast, the island has experienced a succession of crisis which make it a nodal point in our history and our consciousness. Place of the adventures and conquests of Ulysses and Achilles, this territory plunges into the heart of Greek mythology and European identity. Due to its geographical location, Lesbos has always been a transit point for people wishing to reach Europe. Since 2015, the Moria camp has served as an administrative registration center and a waiting area for tens of thousands of refugees from many countries at war (Afghans, Syrians, Congolese, Somalis, etc.), and is found at the center of the European question on the reception of refugees and the right of asylum.

Described as hell on earth, the camp experienced an unprecedented level of overcrowding in January 2020 and was then hit by the Covid epidemic. In September, it was completely destroyed by a fire started by the refugees revolted against their fate. This book recounts the magnitude of this new tragedy, combining the artist’s photographs with images taken from videos sent by refugees with whom he has formed a relationship, and thus constitutes a unique document of What is happening.