Place Pompidou (2015)

As the evening draws near the homeless gather in Place Pompidou before they huddle around the warming vents. But the contrast between these extraordinary air conditioning inlets/outlets, the old but elegant buildings, the up-market boutiques and the homeless makes a moving and extraordinary image. This is one I might do on a larger scale. It is from an image I took when I grabbed some time off from an extraordinary environmental conference (Citizens of the World – a gathering of the usual global suspects) mounted by Jacques Chirac during his last days in office. I was seated next to Jane Goodall, the lady who is committed to saving the great apes of Africa, in the Elysse Palace. I was officially described as an Ancienne Secretaire – which sounded like an antique desk. It was bought on opening night.