Arnaud Elissalde is a reportage photographer and author. His career, combining travel, observation and artistic rigour, fully embodies the vision of the Argia Collective.
Self-taught, he began his career in New Caledonia, where he worked with institutions, NGOs and communication agencies. There he founded « Plein Format », a space dedicated to photography offering a studio, exhibitions, training and printing. Back in mainland France, he turned to more personal authored work, focusing on light, form and line, with an instinctive approach: « a shape, a shadow, a light are enough to trigger the image ».
This taste for the moment, for the essential, for people and for place fits perfectly with the spirit of the Argia Collective, which champions contemporary creation while staying rooted in the Basque Country. His most notable work includes the series « Dans ma cellule » (Arles, 2021) and « Boîte Noire » (Gex, 2024), exploring traces of individual and collective memory through the lens of the image.
Now settled in the Basque Country, Arnaud is working on a new photographic project: an immersion in the daily lives of Basque shepherds. This intimate and sensitive work documents a living heritage and a deep bond with the land, passing on the memory of a rooted way of life.
As president of the Argia Collective, Arnaud brings his sensitivity, artistic standards and commitment to shaping the project, defining its editorial line, and directing the festival and related activities.
Émilie Delbosc trained as a graphic designer and is passionate about images. Her background, combining creativity and technical expertise, brings the Argia Collective a distinctive eye on photography and on how works are showcased.
After building her career working with a number of companies and image professionals, Émilie lived in New Caledonia, where she met Arnaud Elissalde, the collective's president. She specialised in digital printing and worked for photo printing companies and traditional print shops, building in-depth knowledge of how images and printed products are produced. An image lover above all, Émilie brings an original vision of photography, centred on the dialogue between creation and medium. Her expertise in the relationship between photographer and printer is a key asset for the collective, ensuring that artistic projects are produced faithfully and to a high standard.
As co-president and communications officer of the Argia Collective, Émilie puts her technical know-how, artistic sensitivity and ability to support others at the service of shaping the project, promoting the artists and the collective's activities, and making the festival and related activities a success.
A keen amateur photographer, Sophie Compain has a personal and sensitive relationship with images, which she practises on her travels, camera in hand. This attentive and curious approach nourishes her eye and her interest in the stories told by contemporary photography.
With a degree in international law, she has a solid knowledge of geopolitics and international issues, which she draws on to read images and artistic projects in a broader way. This cross-disciplinary background is an asset for the collective, bringing a fine understanding of the contexts, places and stories that photography can reveal.
In 2024 she worked behind the scenes at the Confrontations photography festival in Gex, where she discovered the work of many photographers and the stories behind their images. This experience gave her insight into what it takes to organise a photography event and to support artists.
As secretary of the Argia Collective, Sophie handles the association's administration and internal organisation. She helps structure the collective and develop the Three Crowns Festival, supporting projects both organisationally and on a human level.
With a background in business and management, Rémi Alibert serves as treasurer of the Argia Collective. He oversees the association's finances and administration, making sure resources are used well and that the collective's projects stay on budget.
Beyond his financial role, Rémi is actively involved in the collective's day-to-day work. A handy all-rounder, he puts his technical skills to work preparing and delivering projects, especially when exhibitions are set up and installations are put in place.
His relationship with photography lies mainly in this behind-the-scenes support, where the quality of a project also depends on its practical and technical conditions. Through his commitment, he helps the collective run smoothly and makes its cultural activities happen.
Linking management, organisation and fieldwork, Rémi plays a full part in structuring the Argia Collective and rolling out the Three Crowns Festival.
Olivier Robert supports the Argia Collective as artistic director. Born in 1967 in Arcachon, he has built a rich career at the crossroads of writing, history and photography.
Founder of the Confrontations Photo festival in Gex (01), which he directed for more than ten years, he invited major figures of photography such as Jean Mohr, Sabine Weiss, the CARON foundation, Eric BOUVET, Vincent Munier, Jean-Marie Périer and Yann Arthus-Bertrand. He also co-founded the HIP Prize for French-language photography books and the Voltaire Prize for young portrait photography.
An author, writer, scenographer and exhibition curator, he has for many years passed on his knowledge through workshops on the history and techniques of photography.
Within the Argia Collective he defines the artistic line and builds a programme based on distinctive, humanist perspectives, contemporary approaches and dialogue between different generations of photographers.
Pierre le Forestier, aka Peter Tandt, now has more than 25 years of photographic experience, gained in many different settings: from regional daily newspapers to fashion show shoots, from sea photography to concert halls, and more intimate moments such as weddings and family gatherings.
Pierre has also been closely involved in producing magazines and fanzines, as a photographer but also as a writer. His rich and varied experience has allowed him to capture a moment of life on a street in Chiang Mai as well as a model's outfit in the heart of a studio.
Only lately won over to working digitally, he sharpens his eye and technique in the darkroom, developing and printing his own film.
Over his travels, a more human, even humanist, view of others has led to a more spontaneous photographic practice, essential to the life of a reportage.
In his view, only the combination of these two inseparable aspects, technique and spontaneity, makes for a successful, high-quality photograph.
It was only natural that this approach and his enthusiasm should find a home in the ARGIA Collective project.
Vincent HIRAULT supports the Argia Collective as technical adviser for the production and printing of photographic works. A specialist in printing and finishing processes, he has solid experience gained notably in New Caledonia, where he worked for several years in imaging and printing.
Paying close attention to media, papers, inks and the final result, he takes a demanding approach to photographic printing, seen as an essential part of the work. He has worked with many photographers, helping to produce photographic projects and to showcase images in a wide range of settings (festivals, fine art prints, exhibitions, galleries, museums, institutions...)
Now based in the Creuse, he founded Labo 23, a business dedicated to digital photographic printing. Within the collective, he helps ensure the technical and aesthetic quality of how works are presented.
Diego Gil is an author and music columnist from the Basque Country. His work lies at the crossroads of cultural history, music and the exploration of artistic imagination. He has written several books on musical cultures and their social and aesthetic contexts, including Une histoire des Basques à Bordeaux (Confluences), Bordeaux destination rock (Le Castor Astral), 24 Hours (Le Boulon), 60 (Le Camion Blanc), Something to Hide (Le Blouson Noir) and Smile (Densité, Discogonie collection). His latest book, Les 12 vies de Bowie (Umami), was published in January 2026.
Alongside his writing, he works as a music columnist for several media outlets, including Lokalirri, Radio Paul Bert, Longueur d’Ondes and Groupie.
His work also extends to other art forms. His short film Lignes de vie was selected for the Centre Pompidou's «Mon Œil» programme. He is also the author of La République des Éclaireurs (Écouter pour comprendre), a dystopian manifesto released as an audiobook.
Finally, as a member of the band Le Laboratoire des Vents Solaires, he wrote the lyrics for the album Laika, released on Super Apes.
Within the Argia Collective, Diego GIL brings a new way of approaching photography, blending several disciplines. He is working on the "Sound and Vision" project.
A freelance graphic and web designer since 2014, Anne-Laure helps private clients and local authorities create their visual identity and design unique, modern and high-performing websites.
Creative, meticulous and a good listener, she turns your ideas into pixels. She designs websites that reflect who you are, while guiding you towards the best decisions to strengthen your online presence.
Sporty and a nature lover, she draws inspiration from running, wide open spaces and Finnish nature. Her approach to web design reflects her philosophy of life: natural, thoughtful and open to discovery.
My name is Elsa le Forestier de Quillien Granier, I am 45 and I am a socio-aesthetician.
My work leads me to run workshops on self-confidence, well-being and
self-esteem. I am currently studying social sciences, and I have been involved
for several years in inclusion issues, notably as disability officer
in my job and as a trainer for beauty students. Passionate about art, I pay
close attention to each person's individuality and to the way practices can become
spaces for expression and connection. Within the collective, I am committed as
equality, diversity and inclusion officer, to help build a setting that is accessible, respectful and open
to everyone.
Cookies
We and selected third parties use cookies or similar technologies for technical purposes and, with your consent, for experience, measurement and marketing.
