Grimace

There was a time when France was filled with what were called ‘colonies des vacances’; holiday centres, most often for children to go to during the long summer break. These were quite often situated near the sea and on the Île d’Oléron there were several. Alas, there are now very few and the huge complexes, often owned by large state companies, have simply been evacuated and left abandoned.

Here on the edge of the village of Domino, a short walk from the unforgiving Atlantic shoreline, nature has taken its course to reclaim what was once hers. Sharp vertical grasses echo dancing figures of the children that once played there, and a new wave of culture allows an ironic grimace to greet us at the door.