“The Magical Power of Sports” by French Duo Photographers Audic-Rizk Held in Yokohama

In anticipation of the Paris Olympics being held for the first time in a century, the exhibition “The Magical Power of Sports” by French duo photographers Julie Audic and Christian Rizk was held at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Their work, titled “Intensive Photography,” introduces a new recognition of the universal connection between sports and art, questioning the essence of sports.

About the Duo Photographers

Audic and Rizk, former architects, studied at Chiba University in Japan for five years with the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. Since 2002, they have transitioned from architecture to photography, using their cameras, initially tools for recording cities, to focus on the movements of people, particularly in sports. This approach has expanded the limits of expression, uncovering the unique movements and energies inherent to urban landscapes, spaces, and events.

Insights from the Red Brick

Warehouse Talk During their talk at the Red Brick Warehouse, they explored their roots by touching on the admiration of athletes’ beauty in ancient Greece and the modern Olympics led by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. “Our techniques are inspired by the beauty of sports and the origins of photography. Early photography required long exposure times and lacked the technology to convert negatives to positives. This exploration of the origins is at the core of our work,” said Rizk.

Initially, they enjoyed the vibrant colors created by leaving their long-exposure and negative films undeveloped. Nowadays, they utilize digital technology, projecting captured moments of movement onto a projector and photographing them to develop into artworks. The light emitted from athletes’ bodies becomes an element to express the individuality and energy of the surrounding event space.

Encounter with the Paralympics

In Japan, interest in the Paralympics surged rapidly after Tokyo was chosen to host the Games in 2013. However, the London 2012 Paralympics had already made a significant impact on stakeholders, fans, and the media. The Paralympics are on par with the Olympics, representing the pinnacle of sports and a celebration of human potential.

Audic and Rizk began incorporating the Paralympics into their work after London 2012. “In London, the Paralympics received significant attention. We were deeply moved by the joy and determination of the athletes, which heightened our interest. The pure joy and passion of the athletes provide a different kind of inspiration than the Olympics. We were impressed by Dr. Ludwig Guttmann’s approach to rehabilitation, and we feel the importance of conveying parasports through our work,” said Audic. Their photography at the Rio 2016 Paralympics further influenced their work.

Audik and Rizk’s work is produced using a unique technique that employs a color inversion effect. The duo explains, “By completing the work in a negative state, we avoid the perception of the moment and offer a different perspective.” The energy of the body and its movements is emphasized, allowing the dynamism of the sport to be vividly expressed.

Artistic Approach

Audic and Rizk’s works are created using a unique technique that involves color inversion parameters . “By Capturing the images directly in Negative , we avoid instant recognition and provide a different perspective to the viewer,” they explain. This emphasizes the energy of the body and movement, vividly expressing the dynamism of sports.

Q: How do you select the sports to focus on in your works?

A: “We often choose individual sports. This highlights the power and beauty of the momentary action.”

Q: How do you create works featuring athletes using digital technology?

A: “Initially, we used film cameras to photograph buildings and urban landscapes. However, with technological advancements, particularly for sports works, we project images from television and the internet onto a projector, photograph them directly in negative, (no processing is done after shooting).”

Paris Shooting Plans

The duo is actively planning to photograph the upcoming Paralympics in France this summer. “We live in Normandy, just an hour from Paris, so we will go to photograph the Paralympics. We haven’t decided on specific spots yet, but we’ll decide at the time,” said Rizk.

When a journalist from our paper, covering the triathlon held in Yokohama in May, suggested photographing French triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant, Rizk responded, “Is he French? Understood. But in our photos, the identity of the individual isn’t as important. The form and figure matter. For example, this is Brazilian soccer (pointing to a photo), but whether the athlete is Neymar or not isn’t as significant.”

Q: The people of Paris once won their freedom through a revolutionary battle. Hosting the Paralympics in Paris for the first time could be seen as a social revolution through sports. How do you feel about this as French nationals?

A: “The Paralympics is a crucial opportunity to restore the dignity of people with disabilities and show their important role in society. We hope that the Paralympics will advance understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities. Sports are a part of this, but a very important part.”

The photo exhibition “The Magical Power of Sports” was held at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse from June 7th to 16th, showcasing the unique charm born from the fusion of sports and art. The duo photographers are expected to convey the spirit and passion of Paralympic athletes with their unique expressions in Paris, just two months away. Their world and words, offering a perspective 180 degrees different from sports photojournalism, provided a preview experience of the Paris Paralympics.

Gallery Talk Video　 by Manto Nakamura
https://youtu.be/ifjsNSvqS1k?si=n6XBmQ4W656VtFoA

（Supported by L’Institut Franco-Japonais de Yokohama, Works provided by　Audic-Rizk, Interview by PARAPHOTO Paris Reporting Team;Photographs by Manto Nakamura; Additional reporting by Kotaro Jinushi）

Author: 佐々木 延江 横浜生まれ。国際障害者スポーツ写真連絡協議会パラフォト代表。パラスポーツを伝えるファンのメディアを作ろうと、2000年シドニー大会から夏・冬のパラリンピックをNPOメディアのチームで取材配信。パラアスリートの感性や現地観戦・交流によるインスピレーションでパラスポーツの街づくりが進むことを願っている。