She photographs François, a Sétois suffering from breast cancer: Solange Haccart awarded the Estée Lauder prize

Solange Haccart à côté du cliché récompensé de François. – DR

La photographe et plasticienne a été récompensée pour sa photo de François, un Sétois atteint du cancer du sein. Un cliché qui fait écho à son histoire personnelle.

Naturally modest, the man we will just call François is, however, today the subject of almost national attention since the presentation of the 12th Estée Lauder Prize, at the end of 2023, in Paris. Photographed by Solange Haccart, François, a Sétois included in the improbable statistic of 1% of men suffering from breast cancer, emerged despite himself from anonymity. In 2018, Solange Haccart was already a finalist for this same prize, whose theme “All concerned” rang sadly true, for her also suffering from the disease. Today, his award-winning photo of François is visible on the internet.

Created to pay tribute to Evelyn H. Lauder, who also died in 2011 from this cancer, this award supports the cause. Evelyn H. Lauder was behind the initiative of the pink ribbon which has colored the French months of October since 1992. In 2012, “The Estée Lauder Companies France” wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this ribbon, by launching the first edition of a major national competition, the “Estée Lauder Companies Pink Ribbon Photo Award”.

"For me, things have come full circle"

Five years after her first candidacy, Solange meets François."Often, it’s in the first five years that there can be a recurrence of the disease. We are living this period with a sword of Damocles on our heads. When I met François, I was going to have my last medical check-up. He got sick in 2018 too. When I discovered by chance the theme of the Estée Lauder 2023 competition “in.visibles”, it clicked. I offered to photograph him. For me, it comes full circle with this award. I will no longer be submitting any more photos for this competition. I did it for the cause!", concludes this visual artist, art photographer.

"A photo does not exist until’it’is printed"

Based in her So Hart workshop in Sète, rue Maurice-Clavel, since 2020, Solange has a head full of projects. "I want to create images. Which is no longer quite the work of a photographer, but the work of an artist. Being a photographer means having your photos taken in a coherent way with a theme. A photo does not exist until it is printed." Like this quote from Pierre Soulages that’ she is particularly fond of: “It’s what I do that teaches me what I’m looking for” Solange explores the world taking inspiration from everything she sees.

Atelier SO HART – 38 Bis, Rue Maurice Clavel, 34200 Sète;  solangehaccart@hotmail.fr