Pierre Abensur

  • Pierre Abensur was born in 1962 in Nice (FR). He begins the photography in self-taught in the 80s. Very fast, he turns his work to the humanist stories to find the intensity he is looking for. For several months he takes photos of homeless in Swizerland and obtains his first publications in local newspapers and magazines that become regular collaboration.

    Beside these assignements he works on stories in foreign countries, mostly about living conditions of ethnic or religious minorities. The crisis that strikes the print medias in the récent passed years encouraged him to diversify his work and turn to intimist photo projects.

    He still works with analogical and started projects on large format (4x5) few years ago, some on the photojournalist mode (South Sudan) and others like portraits gallery.

    Reports :
    - Mali 1995, Tuareg rébellion.
    - Bosnia 1997, jewish community of Sarajevo.
    - Turkey 1998 religious minorities (Jewish, Christian orthodoxes, Alevis).
    - Iran 1999-2002, Jewish community.
    - Iraq 2000, Christian community.
    - Palestine 2000, Intifada al Aqsa in Gaza Strip.
    - Afghanistan 2002, one year after the 11th of september.
    - Darfour 2004, indépendance war.
    - Japan 2011, into the ruins of tsunami.
    - South Sudan 2012, the yougest nation few months after its independancy.

    Publications in différents newspapers and magazines in Europe and US (New York Times, 8 Magazin, Newsweek online, Das Magazin, Le Point, Gazeta Magazyn, L’Hebdo, Le Temps, Tribune de Genève, etc…).

    Personnal exibitions:
    - Iranian Jews « The persic soul » at Jewish Museum of Art and History in Paris.

    Collective exibitions :
    - 2011 Regards on local industry (Musée de Carouge Geneva).
    - 2009 Documentary evocation (Artraction Gallery Geneva).
    - 2009 Europart, variations on portrait of Etienne Dumont (Crisal Gallery).
    - 2004 Projection at Visa Perpignan photojournalism festival of story on Darfour.
    - 2003 Palestina Terra Occupata (Lugano).
    - 2003 Riots against G8 in Geneva (Center of photography Geneva).

    Awards: 2001:
    Swisspress award in foreign category for the story about Intifada al Aqsa in Gaza strip.