With the aim of producing photographic documentation of its living traditions, which are included in the inventory of the Vaud’s intangible heritage, the Canton of Vaud has entrusted six photographers, selected by competition, to produce original projects. In this exhibition, Thomas Brasey, Olga Cafiero, Sarah Carp, Matthieu Gafsou, Yves Leresche and Romain Mader reveal the result of their photographic investigation before their pictures become part of Photo Elysée’s collection.

Born in the 1980s, Thomas Brasey lives and works in Lausanne. After earning a PhD in organometallic chemistry at EPFL, he trained in visual communication at ECAL (École cantonale d’art de Lausanne). He regularly exhibits in Switzerland and abroad, and has been awarded, among other prizes, the Enquête photographique fribourgeoise in 2015 and the Enquête valaisanne in 2020. The interplay of eras, the evocation of past events and their resonance in the present are themes close to his heart.

Sensitive to notions of territorial identity and heritage, his project aims to document the real or imagined activities of the “Nouvelle Compagnie des Brigands du Jorat,” which has since transformed itself into a protector of Jorat’s culture and territory. The final work will spotlight an important page of Vaud’s history, along with gestures that blend tradition with the present.

Born in 1982, Olga Cafiero holds a Bachelor’s in visual communication and a Master’s in art direction (photographic option) from ECAL. Winner of the Prix Suisses de designin 2011, she was selected for Foam Talent and the Festival international de la mode, de photographie et d’accessoires de Hyèresin 2012. In 2022, she was again a finalist for the Prix Suisses de designand carried out the Enquête photographique neuchâteloise

Her project aims to document the practices featured in the Messager Boiteuxalmanac from Vevey and Bern—such as folk remedies, astrological calendars, and weather predictions—in order to explore society’s fascination with mysticism. She will also investigate the links between popular belief and modern science. Collaborations are planned with various departments at the University of Lausanne, the Institut des humanités en médecine (IHM), the Lausanne Meteorological Center, and the Office fédéral de l’agriculture

Born in 1981 in Zurich, Sarah Carp lives in Yverdon-les-Bains. A graduate of the École de photographie de Vevey, her photographic work has been widely exhibited and selected for various competitions and festivals both in Switzerland and abroad. She has received several awards including the Prix CEPYfrom the Réseau culturel régional du Nord Vaudoisand the Prix Focale – Ville de Nyonin 2019.

The awarded project offers a poetic journey into the world of music boxes and automata. Recently added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage and a source of pride for the Canton, the art of mechanical devices continues to fascinate and shine both nationally and internationally from the Sainte-Croix region. Her approach, both intimate and sensitive, is a true ode to slowness and precision in a time of hyper-digital and ultra-fast living, which won the jury over.

Born in 1981, Matthieu Gafsou earned a Master’s degree in Arts from the University of Lausanne before training in photography at the École supérieure d’arts appliqués in Vevey. He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions and published seven monographs. His work is internationally recognized.

His project explores how the rituals of the Jeunesses vaudoisescontribute to shaping a regional mythology—with its own codes, trials, rites of passage, and heroes. Adopting a deliberately offbeat tone, the approach aims to build a body of photographs that is rich, complex, and rhythmically structured.

Born in 1962, Yves Leresche works with various press outlets in French-speaking Switzerland and internationally, as well as with public institutions. Over the past 30 years, he has carried out three major documentary projects focused on Roma minorities in Europe, each time combining a photographic series, a book, and a public traveling exhibition.

His project will follow the nine-month tour of the Cirque Helvetiafrom Moudon and its founders, the Maillard family. Through portraits of the performers both in the spotlight and in their secondary roles (as cotton candy sellers or ticket hosts), as well as of the audience, the work aims to capture the full scope of life, time, and rhythms that shape a circus tour.


Born in 1988, Romain Mader holds a Bachelor’s in photography from ECAL and a Master’s from the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste. He has taken part in many exhibitions and publications and received the FOAM Huf Awardin 2017. Some of his works have been acquired by public collections, including the Museum of Photography in Amsterdam.

His project seeks to highlight craftsmanship, local production, and social connections within his home district of Aigle. By interning with producers and artisans, he aims to document—with a touch of humor—each stage of preparing the famous Vaudois dish: from growing leeks and potatoes, to raising and butchering pigs, and finally making the cabbage sausages.