Skin of the gods

Welcome to you! I'm so happy to present to you my latest project on which I've been working for the last 3 years. My name is Louis Brunet, and I'm a professional photographer since 2011. Apart from my commissioned work, I dedicate one month a year to document subjects that are close to my heart. This new project is called “Skin of the gods”. It is a hundred-pages art photo book that tells the story of gold, from the ground to its main use in jewelry. It is the sequel of my first book entitled “The Treasure of Tsavo” which featured the extraction of tsavorite garnet in southern Kenya. You have gold in your hands Gold has been fascinating for more than 7 thousand years. In antiquity, Egyptians understood very quickly the incredible properties of this malleable and stainless metal. Calling it the skin of the gods, they gave it a specific use for ornament and decoration. Later, it became a currency, widely used around the Mediterranean coasts by the Greeks then the Romans, and until the 19th century in Europe. This time, when it was common to walk around with a little gold in your purse, is not over. We simply changed the applications of this fabulous metal. Today, gold is at your finger, around your neck or your wrist. And since the industrial era, scientists have noticed the excellent electrical conductivity of this metal. You now have it in your hands, every day... Your mobile phone and every electronic material contain gold. But do you know where this metal comes from? In what form is it found in nature? How is it transformed? The book The book brings together a hundred captioned artistic and documentary photos that tell the story of gold's journey, from the ground to its jewelry case. French Guiana is a very colorful country, so I chose to treat this subject only in color. For two months, with a rising star jeweler, Raphaël Griffon, we went to the heart of the Amazon rainforest, in total immersion. The goal was to discover and tell about the work of gold miners in legal facilities, as well as the work of some "garimpeiros" who extract this ore wildly. These images are coming along with explanations on the origin of gold and the operation of a mine. I am also telling a very human story, showing the working conditions of the miners, as well as the opinion of the Native American peoples. We also met and followed the customs in their daily tasks, as well as the foreign legion (special forces), with whom we made an approach mission on an illegal facility. The main objective of the French Guiana armed forces is to slow down illegal gold mining and dismantle active sites. The photos resulting from this reportage testify to the French government's desire to protect the natural environment of this beautiful land of Guiana, one of the most preserved part of the amazon rainforest. Finally, something forgotten by all medias will be addressed in details: the complex work related to the rehab of the land, including the return of the river to its original bed and the reforestation of the land. Those who know me expect large format pictures, because they know I like to immerse the reader in my stories... Put away your magnifying glasses! Who will love this book? Organizing an expedition like this one needs time, experience and patience, in order to find the right contacts and gain their trust. It is, in my opinion, a fantastic opportunity to set foot in wild and unattainable land and, through this book, I want to share this adventure with you. Adventure, travel and adrenaline lovers will enjoy this book, as it has been our daily life for 2 months there. It will appeal as well to lovers of beautiful books, those who are sensitive to photography, and love to hear stories. It will speak to jewelry and gold fans, those who appreciate beautiful objects. And above all, this book is made for curious people. You love to understand the origins of your products, how it has been made, who is behind your jewelry? You will love this book... I have prepared some surprises for you... I wanted the quality of this book to match its content. With my printer, we have unearthed a splendid heavyweight paper in bright white. This book in A4 landscape dimensions contains around a hundred photographs. In addition to the book, you will receive an unpublished print, signed on the back. Receive 1 book + 1 print, for 65€, instead of 85€. "Argh, I don't have the first volume". Don't worry, I've anticipated that for you. I'm printing again the first book "The Treasure of Tsavo" for those who missed the boat. On top of that, I have set the price of this previous book back to 65€ instead of 85€, only during these 40 days of the campain. For your greatest pleasure, find an unpublished print signed on the back, in each of the books! Receive the 2 books + 2 prints for a total of 130€. As I told you in the video, I wanted to bring you back a bit of my adventure in a very special edition. At the center of this magnificent album, I created an epoxy capsule containing a small nugget of gold (about 0.2g). The limited edition is a large format book (40 x 30 cm) with a leather cover, a bright white heavyweight paper. In the last pages of this book, find 8 unpublished photographs! This edition is limited to 50 copies, these books are signed and numbered, and I am selling them ONLY on the Kiss Kiss Bank Bank platform! #4 - Are you curious, very curious? Yes, you are very, very curious, and you want to know more about this expedition, hear every crispy details from their origin, share the adrenaline we experienced In French Guiana? I offer you a dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Nantes, during which I will tell you everything about this reportage in details, show you backstage photos, and you will leave with a signed prestige edition book (Limited Edition), as well as a signed book to offer. Also receive a print of a photo of your choice, nicely framed in its Mat. #5 Become the sole sponsor of the book You fell for this project, it moves you, you want to go further on? You can become the unique sponsor for this book. There is one spot, and only one... Your name and/or your company logo will be written in the book, mentioned at every events on which the book will be presented, in particular on June 30, 2023, at the Graslin theater in Nantes, where the eponymous film will be presented. You will also receive two tickets for this exceptional evening (if booked before the 29/06/2023). I will also invite you to a dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Nantes, in order to tell you the story of this expedition in all its details You will receive several books at this special dinner: - a prestige album (Limited Edition) dedicated "Skin of the gods" - three signed books "Skin of the gods" that you can offer Finally, I will make a large print in 60 x 40 cm format, on art paper and laminated on a Dibond, ready to hang on the wall, of one picture of your choice from the book.