Shimmers - Alison McCauley

Shimmers by Alison McCauley features an enigmatic sequence of images captured in the Côte d’Azur between 2013 and 2023. The Côte d’Azur is a destination that’s invaded by visitors and tourists year upon year. It offers a hedonistic lifestyle that attracts many in search of escapism, pleasure and fast money; a great deal happens in the shadows here.

“While working on this series, I often had a quote from Somerset Maugham in my head. He referred to the French Riviera as ‘a sunny place for shady people.’ This connected with what I saw and felt. It’s this contrast between the beautiful, shimmering surfaces and the dark, flip side that intrigues me. Shimmers is my love letter to this place … but it’s a pragmatic, eyes wide open kind of love.”

- Alison McCauley