The photographic exhibition created from Jean-Michel Boré’s documentary The Marriage of Knowledge was presented at Te Fare Iamanaha – Museum of Tahiti and the Islands from 16 to 20 June, and at the University of French Polynesia from 22 to 25 June 2026. Through a series of photographs, the exhibition highlighted both the transformation of South Pacific ecosystems and the local knowledge held and developed by communities in response to increasing climate-related hazards. 

©Willis Waweru – Te Fare Iamanaha – Museum of Tahiti and the Islands

Images That Tell the Story of the Territories

©Willis Waweru – Te Fare Iamanaha – Museum of Tahiti and the Islands

As part of its closing activities, the CLIPSSA research-action project set out to create a photographic exhibition using images to highlight both the value of its research and the importance of preserving the territories at the heart of the project.

Twelve photographs depicting New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia were selected from the documentary work of IRD filmmaker Jean-Michel Boré. While producing The Marriage of Knowledge, Boré captured striking landscapes, personal testimonies and images of traditional techniques. Together, these images not only gave rise to a compelling documentary—available on the IRD YouTube channel—but also formed a powerful visual collection presented to the public during the CLIPSSA project’s closing week.

Bringing the Exhibition Closer to Its Audience

     ©Willis Waweru – Université de la Polynésie française

The CLIPSSA photographic exhibition was conceived as a parallel event to the project’s closing conference, with the aim of raising awareness among communities across the territories under study about the impacts of climate change.

To reach a broad audience, it was displayed at Te Fare Iamanaha – Museum of Tahiti and the Islands from 16 to 20 June, before moving to the Research Auditorium of the University of French Polynesia from 22 to 25 June.

Through this strong territorial presence, CLIPSSA reaffirmed its commitment to serving the communities living in the territories that form the focus of its research. The exhibition also reflects the project’s commitment to scientific accountability by by sharing research findings with the communities directly concerned.

Find the exhibition poster here