Rocher Fatal: Philippe Jarrigeon

5 November - 24 December 2026

Overview

Rocher Fatal is located on the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau, a formidable and gigantic green space with its millennial oaks, sand formations, majestic deer, and cascading mysteries. It is the setting for countless strolls with dogs, friends, and lovers. Each of these excursions can transport you from the present to historical facts, from a trail run to a romantic shock, from a free party to a royal goûter. Philippe Jarrigeon draws inspiration from his wanderings and the infinite narrative potential of this massive forest to imagine a new tale of an enchanted woods. This series of cinematic images unfolds like a trip. Along the way appear an abandoned castle, a slumbering quarry, tightrope-walking hikers, a fallen knight, a dazed band of does, the face of a smiling flower, a fatal rock. Among these encounters, the stroller crosses paths with guest stars from the French art scene playing roles: Nina Childress, Théo Mercier, Vimala Pons, Laura Vazquez, and Rebeka Warrior.

Other artists have admired and represented the Forest of Fontainebleau. The Barbizon painters campaigned for the sanctification of various forest sectors threatened by transformation into monotonous plantations,opening the history of nature conservation in France. Between the creation of these photos and the publication of this book, the Forest of Fontainebleau was brutally ravaged by fires. The fire not only burned remarkable trees, the habitat of numerous species, and the playground of our contemporary leisure activities, it also attacked this reservoir of stories born from the unexpected encounter between the wild, the mythical, and a pair of telescopic glasses.

Nurtured by memories, anecdotes, absurd and whimsical ideas, this project is intended as both a tribute to wonderful forests and an underlying reflection on how we inhabit and sometimes invade these fragile spaces.

Sylvain Menétrey