With more than 4.5 million daily passengers, the Paris metro has the world’s highest traffic density! A veritable city under the city, it is also the venue for a diversity of cultural manifestations; photography is currently on display at the Gare de Montparnasse station. Until June 14, the walls alongside the mechanical people mover connecting the main line train station to the RATP lines 4 and 12 will feature pictures by Franck Vogel.

With texts by novelist Irène Frain, the exhibition takes travellers on a journey beyond the subway’s dreary walls and invites them to discover the surprising Bishnoïs in their natural Rajasthan setting. The walls of this 135 meter-long hallway feature vivid 5 meter high color prints. The Bishnoï community was created in the 15th century by Jambeshwar Bhagavan. They live by 29 commandments, are guided by a strong ecological conscience and are characterised by their vegetarian lifestyle, their pacifism and their respect of all living things including trees and animals. This picture story was featured in magazines the world over including the special 30th anniversary edition of Geo.

In July, a second exhibition of Franck Vogel’s work will appear in the Luxembourg RER light train station for a new journey with the Boshnoï.

“At first I thought this early community of ecologists was just a ‘tourist trap’”, but that turned out to be false. Behind appearances was an untouched population that continued to thrive in its natural environment with wild animals. Thanks to a series of introductions, I had access to some very influent community members gathered in the desert during a 2007 religious festival where 70,000 Bishnoïs had come to honor and pray for their prophet, Jamboli. I assured them that through publications, exhibitions and conferences, I would advocate their environmental philosophy throughout the world while at the same time preserving them from tourism. At first hesitant, they were moved by my motivation and eventually provided me with photographic access to all of their holiest locations. I was very privileged, becoming the first foreigner to have been welcomed into their community." Franck Vogel.

The photographer made a 52 minutes documentary that will air on France 5 on June 11 at 6pm. From April 22th until June 14
Ericka Weidmann