Martine Fougeron

Martine Fougeron was born in France in 1954, and studied in both France and the United States. In Paris she attended l’Institut d’Etudes Politiques, and outside of Boston, Wellesley College. She worked as a creative director in the perfume industry for many years before deciding to become a photographer. She moved to New York ten years ago and has been working there ever since. She has received prestigious awards including Photo District News’ 30 Emerging Artists to Watch and the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Photography Portfolio Competition. 

Fougeron began shooting portraits of her sons in 2005. Her images portray the treasured beauty of youth. As she expanded this project and began to photograph her sons’ circle of friends, she produced a series called “Tête-à-Tête,” which reflects the inherent complexities that compose this treasured beauty. The photographs present teenage boys in simple, identifiable situations like playing with a dog or swimming, and in more rebellious ones – lighting matches, smoking a water pipe. Fougeron’s work provides an interesting look into the complicated and rich process of growing up.