I'm a fan of Jean François Jonvelle's intimate work! When Globe magazine offered me an interview for the 1989 municipal election campaign and asked me to choose a photographer, I directly suggested this Cavaillon-born photographer.
Once the appointment was made, the shoot took place at the Hotel Raphaël in Paris. I wondered if I'd be allowed a hairdresser and make-up artist, to which I was surprisingly told: "No." Bring two outfits you feel good in. So off I went, dressed in a total Alaïa look, of course. After a handshake and a quick hello, we arrived at a suite. Don't move," he said, "I'm going to see where the light is softest. Here he is, inspecting all the rooms while I open the suit rack to show him the other outfit. He came back rather satisfied, but uninterested in the second look: "No need to change, this outfit is perfect! The portrait will be taken in the bathroom. You'll sit on the floor, and I'll photograph you from the balcony." After two or three posture changes, the session begins.
After 45 minutes, he tells me he has the photo and that I'll like it, without showing it to me! Then we go back downstairs, and he finally asks me the question: "Why did you choose me?" and he continues, "The session went more quickly than I expected, so I'll take you out for a coffee. You can tell me about Marseille and I'll tell you about Cavaillon. We talked and laughed as if we were lifelong friends, happy to be reunited. It's been a faithful and discreet southern alchemy for over 15 years! I'm delighted to have been able to organize an exhibition of his photos in Marseille in 2002, just a few months before his death.
