The Powers That Be
Alan Gignoux and Chloe Juno
'The Powers That Be' explores two parallel developments in Poland during the 2023 parliamentary elections: the decline of the coal industry and a closely contested political moment. Across towns and mining regions, campaign posters filled the streets some intact, others torn or altered reflecting a society navigating questions of authority, trust, and political change.
For many voters, the election was shaped less by idealism than by concerns about the country’s future. Public discussions touched on issues such as judicial independence, press freedom, and shifting social policies. At the same time, the future of coal mining long central to the region’s identity and economy was being debated as the European Union continued its transition to renewable energy. For many miners, the prospect of replacement industries such as tourism raised questions of livelihood, dignity, and continuity.
Using Fuji Instax film, Gignoux and Juno focus on details from campaign imagery hands, smiles, ties, and gestures highlighting the subtle ways political authority is constructed and presented. These portraits are paired with photographs of the coal mines themselves, placing political imagery and industrial landscape in direct conversation.
The Powers That Be examines the visual language of political advertising and the systems it seeks to influence. It asks a simple but enduring question: when the promises settle and the posters come down, do we receive what we thought we voted for?
Photobook Designed by Stanley James Press and Chloe Juno Published by GIGNOUXPHOTOS
Artist
Alan Gignoux and Chloe Juno
Alan Gignoux is a London‑based documentary photographer whose work explores environmental justice, migration, and the social impact of industry. Working internationally, he combines long‑form visual storytelling with collaborative research, producing projects, films, and photobooks.
Chloe Juno is a Brighton‑based documentary photographer, curator, Independant creative consultant and artist whose work explores everyday objects, material culture, and overlooked social histories. Through publishing, visual storytelling, documetary research and collaborative research.
Locations
Opening times
Thursday 15 October 2026 Saturday 31 October 2026
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Posters will spread across Brighton seafront day and night.
