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Paper Short Abstract:

Drawing on an aesthetic reflection on La Cité (www.lacite.org), I discuss the necessity of rethinking multimodal engagement through scenographic and editorial choices. I explore power dynamics underlying marginal representations through a discussion on the multimodality of public anthropology.

Paper Abstract:

In this presentation, I will discuss critical forms of multimodal research in anthropology based on the Cité project (www.lacite.org). The project consists of a photobook (Leon-Quijano 2023), a moving exhibition, and a website. It showcases my doctoral research (EHESS, 2020) conducted in Sarcelles, a peripheral city on the outskirts of Paris.

My work examines the relationship between hegemonic and peripheral forms of urban representation in a socially marginalized space (i.e., Canteux 2004). As a photographer and anthropologist, I analyzed how local residents experienced a space that was nationally considered as marginal. To do this, I focused on various forms of visual representation of the city, including the images I produced as a photoethnographer. In La Cité, I present a reflection that is both epistemological and aesthetic. I emphasize the importance of dual engagement, both ethnographic (Cefaï 2010) and photographic (Leon-Quijano 2022), to provide a critical account of the situations experienced by the anthropologist in the field. In this presentation, I will delve into the power dynamics that shape these peripheral forms of visual representation. Specifically, I will focus on the multimodal expressions of these peripheral experiences through the book and traveling exhibition I conceived and exhibited in 2022 and 2023. Drawing on material and narrative reflection, my presentation aims to contribute to the discussion on rethinking multimodal engagement in anthropology. To this end, I will explore the importance of scenographic and editorial intervention in fostering new forms of public anthropology.