French photographer and street artist Philippe Echaroux decided to draw public attention to the problem of massive deforestation in the Amazon rainforest region. His ecological anxiety resulted in significant project, from aesthetic and ethical points of view. Artist showed that nature is not an abstract concept; it is our ancestral home that needs care and protection.
Echaroux’s main idea was to project the faces of indigenous Brazilians from the Suruí tribe onto the forest’s trees, showing the deep connection between the rainforest and its inhabitants. Artists had to get permission from the local government first. After that, he was officially invited by Chief Narayamoga to bring attention to this problem. Then Philippe Echaroux managed to make friends with the locals and start realizing his ideas.
(c) Philippe Echaroux
(c) Philippe Echaroux
(c) Philippe Echaroux
(c) Philippe Echaroux
In general, Philippe Echaroux’s Amazon project embodied all positive sides and methods of contemporary art: relational aesthetics, environmentalism and new media adeptness. “The Crying Forest” can be regarded as worthy extension of greatest eco-friendly photographers’ efforts, like «Instituto Terra» by Sebastian Salgado or Daniel Beltra‘s heartbreaking series focused on deforestation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Philippe Echaroux deserves billions of likes and gratitude for this beauty, his noble intentions and awesome approach to projection mapping.
Photographs from this series will be on display in the exhibition “The Crying Forest” at Parisian Galerie Taglialatella from November 11 till December 15, 2016.
