Francois Robert’s “Stop The Violence”

“Stop the Violence” by Francois Robert.

“I enjoy creating photographs that stimulate contemplation and empathy. I have photographed symbolic objects and cultural signifiers that resonate with the viewer as a statement of the causes and effects of violence. Conflict and violence are perpetual areas of focus and concern for human beings. In the end, whatever goals are intended to be achieved by the use of force, the ultimate result is simply the end of life, a dead body. The human skeleton is a powerful visual symbol. It has come to represent the “remains,” what is left after life has ended. In my photographs, I use the human skeleton as the formal visual element, the subject of the image. For each photograph I disassemble the modular system of the skeleton and reconfigure the elements to form a new image. These images show conflict, aggression, suffering, and devastation. These images also suggest an aftermath, therefore functioning as a warning. My hope is that they provide a cautionary moment of pause, a moment when our minds recognize the history and the significance of these symbols, resonating long after viewing. I intend the images to plant in the heart the notions of charity and restraint in effort to promote tolerance and peace.”