In June 2025, the Alliance Française de Banjul is pleased to host visual artist Géraldine Garçon and photographer Daniel Mielniczek for an artistic residency. Together, they bring their unique perspectives to explore environmental issues in The Gambia through drawing and photography.
Géraldine Garçon, a graduate of the École des Arts Décoratifs de Paris, has developed a refined artistic practice rooted in drawing and printmaking. Her passion for travel—shaped by a formative adolescence in South America—is reflected in her published travel sketchbooks (Croatia, Turkey, Oman). During the residency, her luminous watercolors and intricate drawings will capture the lush landscapes and biodiversity of The Gambia, while highlighting their environmental fragility.
Daniel Mielniczek, a freelance photographer based in Béziers, offers a poetic documentary style shaped by his personal history. Born in Warsaw during the Cold War, he is especially attuned to transitions and borders. His photography captures everyday gestures, environmental challenges, and local efforts for preservation—revealing the deep, often fragile bond between people and nature.
This residency offers a dual artistic interpretation of environmental realities in The Gambia. Through a dialogue between drawing and photography, the duo documents and reimagines the connection between communities and their ecosystems. Their work will culminate in a joint exhibition at the Alliance Française de Banjul.
Additionally, participatory workshops in watercolor and documentary photography will be offered to local audiences, fostering creative exchange and awareness around environmental and artistic issues.
This collaborative residency demonstrates how art can raise awareness of ecological concerns while building bridges across cultures and disciplines. Through their complementary visions, Géraldine Garçon and Daniel Mielniczek invite the public to experience the beauty and vulnerability of Gambian landscapes with sensitivity and depth.