Interview with
Adrien Boyer

If you were at the airport facing the departure board, where would you like to go?

Anywhere! More than any destination, it is discovery and surprise that I love. I try to leave a lot of room for the unexpected in life, that is, for the present moment, because this is where I feel fully alive. Rather than trying to foresee, I prefer to focus on seeing.

Where can we have a chance to meet you?

At the “Paris Photo” fair in early November in Paris, at the Grand Palais. This is the most prestigious photo event in the world and I am very happy to have photographs exhibited there for the second time. Hoping that the fair can be held as planned…

What are the flaws you prefer in others? And in yourself?

Rather than categorizing people, I’m much more interested in discerning what makes a person unique. It takes some time and a certain “letting go”, but once you understand how your interlocutor is original and differs from what you know, then the relationship becomes truly rewarding.  I like my inattention. I am constantly crossed by sights or thoughts, as if the world was trying to speak to me through all these little things that make up reality. My mind and my gaze wander all the time. Since I was a kid I have been told, “Your head is in the clouds!” I believe that is my greatest quality!

A fictional hero you like? And in real life, a mentor maybe?

Albert Camus. Beyond the writer and the thinker to whom I feel so close – his entire philosophy is based on careful observation and a sensitive relationship with the world – he has put his actions and his words in harmony, showing great physical and intellectual courage, without ever losing sight of what makes the true joy of living for a man. Much more than a hero, he is the epitome of a life that gives meaning to existence.

A cause you feel strongly?

The current situation in Lebanon. I was deeply moved by this terrible blast in which many friends of mine were injured. Lebanon is a beautiful country full of great people, whom I have had the chance to discover and photograph many times over in the past two years. But fate has been hitting this country too hard over the last few months. We have to help Lebanon recover not only because of its people’s distress and its fantastic potential, but also because its particular geographical and cultural situation makes it a crucial stake for peace in the world.

An advice or a sentence that struck you?

A friend once said to me, “Don’t do what you want, want what you do.” The nuance is significant: rather than pursuing tantalizing desires, the important thing is to know yourself in order to find your place and your value in this world.

A movie, a book or music you love?

The Opposing Shore, by Julien Gracq. This novel is a summit in literature, its evocative power is infinite. But above all, the writing here makes it possible to distinguish so clearly what is present but invisible in everyday life. I came out of this book changed, both more lucid and more idealistic.

What makes you laugh?

Roadrunner & Coyote. Every time I watch this cartoon on TV, whether it’s in my doctor’s waiting room or in the airport lobby, I find myself on the floor, convulsing with laughter. I just can’t help it.