Pierre Bessagnet has had a camera in his hands since he was 18, he will exhibit at the Phot-Art show in Fleurance

Lavardenais Pierre Bessagnet will exhibit in Fleurance on Saturday November 30 and Sunday November 1^is December, on the occasion of the Photographic Meetings of the Phot’Art trade fair organized by the Photo-Club de Gascogne and where he is invited. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. that weekend, in the Eloi-Castaing room in Fleurance, 50 photographers will be waiting for the public (free entry).

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Pierre Bessagnet has had a camera in his hands since he was 18. He started with black and white, color with film, then moved to digital. He gives some milestones to explain his next exhibition at Fleurance: “I have been to the four corners of the world, notably to Vietnam, Cuba, Chile, the United States and of course Lavardens. In the 1980s and 90s, I managed an audiovisual production structure in Auch, called CUMAV (cooperative for the use of audiovisual equipment). In this context, I made two films, portraits of artists from the Gers or those based in the Gers: in 1986, “Chambas dans l’arene”, on the painter Jean-Paul Chambas born in Vic-Fezensac and, in 1988, “Guy Lafitte”, about the famous jazz saxophonist. This film was broadcast on “M6” in 1989, filmed in Tournan, Marciac and New York.

He also writes

Pierre Bessagnet was born in Indochina. His father, Yvan Bessagnet, at the time, was a soldier in this country; then, he returned to France with his wife and their 4 children. Yvan Bessagnet joined Lavardens, where they had 6 more children. Pierre Bessagnet was one month old when he arrived in the town. He was a French teacher, notably in Toulouse, at the University Teacher Training Institute, to train future school teachers.

In 2023 he wrote “The Story of a Family. The Bessagnets of Lavardens”; Pierre Bessagnet worked for more than a year to produce this work because he had to embark on research, particularly genealogical research, and find documents and testimonies. Then, he wrote a short story, “The Disappearance of Ernest”, published by the association on 122 in Lectoure.

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He says with a smile: “At 69 years old, this will be my first participation in an exhibition. Better Phot’Art than ever.” Pierre Bessagnet also has other strings to his bow: “I sing as an amateur in a group specializing in Corsican polyphonies”.