Mathieu Asselin
Monsanto: A Photographic Investigation
Running 1-31 July
At The Library Project
Opening Hours Mon-Fri 11am-6pm | Sat-Sun 12-6pm
Artist Mathieu Asselin
Curated by Sergio Valenzuela Escobedo
Presented with the kind support of Alliance Française Dublin.
Associated Artists Talk:
1pm Wed 21 July — Mathieu Asselin and Sergio Valenzuela Escobedo
Monsanto’s® dozens of Superfund sites (large contaminated sites of high priority for the US Environmental Protection Agency) across the United States alone are affecting hundreds of communities and their environment with terrifying health and ecological consequences.
Monsanto® maintains strong ties with the US-government, and especially with the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration). It is a bed fellow with many other economic and political power houses around the world. The company engages in campaigns of misinformation, the persecution of institutions and individuals, including scientists, farmers and activists that dare to disclose its crimes. Monsanto® is spreading new technologies and products, while scientists, ecological institutions and human rights organisations are putting out alerts about issues like public health, food safety and ecological sustainability — issues on which our future on this planet depends. This is all particularly troublesome since Monsanto® is entering a new chapter of disregard for our planet through the creation and commercialisation of GMOs. Looking at the company’s past and present, this project aims to picture what Monsanto’s® near future will look like.
The exhibition for the festival will focus on the photobook for which the Franco-Venezuelan photographer was awarded the Aperture Foundation First Book Award in 2017, the Dummy Book Award Kassel 2016, and a special mention for the Luma Rencontres Dummy Book Award 2016 at the Rencontres de la Photographie (Arles), his book is shortlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation 2018. Beyond the distinguished editorial object, this recognition enshrines an exceptional documentary process conducted for five years through Vietnam and the United States, which portrays an overwhelming portrait of the ancient and current practices of this giant chemical industry.
About the Artist
Mathieu Asselin (FR/VEN) Mathieu Asselin works and lives between Arles in France and New York City. He began his career working on film productions in Caracas, Ve- nezuela, but shaped his photography practice in the United States. His work mainly consists out of long term investigative documentary projects, such as his latest book Monsanto: A Photographic Investigation, which received international acclaim, winning the Kassel FotoBook Festival Dummy Award in 2016, the Aperture Foundation First Book Award in 2017 and has been shortlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize in 2018. Les Rencontre d’Arles in France, Photographer’s Gallery in London, Fotomuseum Antwerp in Belgium and the European Parliament in Strasbourg are amongst recent venues where his work has been exhibited.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW
FOR RELEASE IN SEPTEMBER
Published on the occasion of the twelfth edition of PhotoIreland Festival, this limited edition publication will present a record and reflection of the month-long programme of events. In addition, readers will find exclusive texts and work, expanding on the conversations had during the festival. We invited a number of contributors to reflect on the theme of the festival and some of the artists presented.
