Patrick Cariou

For more than 25 years, French photographer Patrick Cariou has traveled to places around the globe, documenting people living on the fringes of society. Whether photographing surfers, gypsies, Rastafarians or the rude boys of Kingston, Cariou celebrates those who meet the struggles of life with honor, dignity and joy. Bringing together works from his groundbreaking monographs including Surfers, Yes Rasta, Trenchtown Love and Gypsies, Patrick Cariou: Works 1985–2005 takes us on a scenic journey around the world, offering an intimate and captivating look at cultures that distance themselves from the blessings and curses of modernity.
Whether following the waves, living in the mountains or surviving urban and rural poverty, Cariou’s subjects reveal the importance of preserving native culture at a time of Western cultural hegemony. Though they come from different places, his subjects share a common ground, one beautifully articulated by filmmaker Perry Henzell in his essay: “Rasta doesn’t just represent Rasta; Rasta is a banner for spirit worldwide. The spirit of freedom, the spirit of pride, whether you’re rich or poor.”
Patrick Cariou (born 1963) is a French photographer with a career spanning over 30 years. He is best known for his dramatic portraits that reveal an ethnographic research of communities at the edge of society. His books include Surfers (1997), Yes Rasta (2000), Trenchtown Love (2003) and Gypsies (2011).