Olivier Degorce
Olivier Degorce is a French documentary photographer whose work has, for several decades, explored music scenes, alternative cultures, and the communities that bring them to life. Beginning in the late 1980s, he photographed Parisian nightlife and the early days of rave culture, getting up close and personal with those who were experimenting with new forms of partying and socializing.
In this essay, Olivier Degorce reflects on his early Acid House experiences and the circumstances under which he began photographing raves:
“I ended up at the first Acid House parties around 1987–1988 in Paris. I was 20 years old. It was a real shock. This music was unlike anything my generation had ever heard before. As the rave phenomenon grew, I went to parties, always carrying a pocket camera. Taking photos was a way to keep a record of those unique moments.
I was there at the right time and certainly the only one photographing systematically. I was fascinated by collecting portraits of people playing records pressed in runs of only 100 or 500 copies—vinyls with no sleeves or artwork. There was something paradoxical about taking these photos: we were all there incognito—the audience as much as the DJs—and none of us cared about being seen or watched.
These parties were completely underground; organizing them was illegal. The photos were taken in venues that, for the most part, weren’t meant for partying: abandoned warehouses, industrial wastelands, houseboats, or under the bridges of Paris. The “come as you are” vibe stood in stark contrast to the flashy outfits typical of nightclubs at the time.
I rarely came home from a party with more than fifteen photos. Two or three of a DJ, sometimes just one. No digital retouching or cropping was done. These images are shown exactly as they were taken.
I have no particular fondness for black-and-white photography and have always preferred color, even muted tones. If some of these photos were taken in black and white, it was for purely practical reasons: Coda Magazine, the first Parisian magazine dedicated to electronic music—with which I collaborated starting with the very first issue—was printed in black and white.”
— Olivier Degorce
