Bitter Sweet Soft

The so-called conflict in Western Sahara is a forgotten conflict. I will not go into historical or political details, however in the present days Sahrawis are scattered around their original land and neighbour countries such as Mauritania, Mali and Algeria. Algeria is where the refugee camps of Tinduf are located. One of these camps is Smara, where Bitter Sweet Soft takes place. 

The images of this book uses an universal language, evocative and non-discursive about this conflict. If it weren’t for some elements they would give the impression of being timeless scenes. The photographer not only fixes the attention on the characters but also on rough textures, on things rooted in the ground and on inconsequential motifs. There are hardly any play of light and shadow, hence the landscape, as an image of the setting becomes a sign of identity, an identity that Millet tinges with a certain political content, because when a photographer appeals to his own sensitivity, to his own life experience, that is what gives validity and authenticity to his work.