Photographer Documents Year in French Juvenile Detention Center Through Collaborative Project
Photographer Alexandre Bagdassarian conducted a year-long journalistic project at one of France's six juvenile detention facilities. These centers, established between 2006 and 2008, house individuals aged 13 to 18. Bagdassarian visited two days weekly under judicial youth protection and prison administration supervision, creating collaborative spaces with incarcerated youth. The project documented evolving environments where graffiti, writings, and drawings on cell walls were regularly painted over as residents departed. The work reveals daily realities through visual documentation of institutional spaces and youth expressions.
Key facts
- Alexandre Bagdassarian photographed inside a French juvenile detention center for one year
- France has six such facilities for youth aged 13-18
- The centers were created between 2006 and 2008 with educational and reintegration goals
- Bagdassarian worked two days weekly under judicial and prison administration oversight
- The project documented graffiti, writings, and drawings that were regularly painted over when youth left
Entities
Artists
- Alexandre Bagdassarian
Institutions
- Protection Judiciaire de la Jeunesse
- Administration Pénitentiaire
Locations
- France