Journeys & Stopovers

Nothing looks more like a river than another river, so how should the portrait of the Vilaine river be portrayed? In a series of photographs by the photographer Sylvain Gouraud, Vilaine Céleste shows the river, through those who frequent it, work on it and protect it.

We invited Gouraud to explore the Vilaine and produce an atlas of the river’s users. His survey created a complex portrait of the controversies and conflicts of its use – farming irrigation, potential soil pollution, kayakers using it for leisure activities, a reservoir with fish for anglers, and so on. The portrait takes the form of a photo box with captioned images, and a platform for discussions and debates in workshops with members of the public (local activists, communities, schools). We are hoping that this water-themed kit will give rise to a publication and continue to evolve in this region as well as around other rivers.