25 - Vigilance - Work under Tension

Jul 6, 2026 – Oct 4, 2026

Electricity is invisible and silent, and its dangers are often imperceptible. Controlling it, from production to distribution, relies on a complex system in which the invisibility of the current is accompanied by industrial risks linked to the various installations, thereby multiplying the chance of accidents. In 1947, Électricité de France (EDF) established a Prevention and Safety Department to develop, structure and implement a company-wide safety policy. The shock of 59 workplace deaths in 1950, the deadliest year in its history, led EDF to intensify its efforts. In 1953, the magazine Vigilance was launched, stating a clear ambition in its first editorial: to foster a genuine “safety culture,” particularly through the use of images, which became a key instrument. Established after the war, the Société pour le Développement des Applications de l’Électricité (SODEL) was responsible for promoting the use of electricity and designing communication tools for a general audience. On behalf of EDF, SODEL commissioned numerous photographers, initially to celebrate major engineering projects and their landscapes, presenting a monumental and modern vision of electricity. The photographs featured in this exhibition reflect the importance ascribed to the aesthetic and documentary representation of the electricity industry, which was envisaged not only as a technical project, but also as a vehicle for cultural and civilizational ambition. Meanwhile, SODEL developed a photographic production for educational purposes, designed to illustrate safety issues in the magazine Vigilance. Behind these grand projects, the work itself appears, with its risks and dangers. Both didactic and prescriptive, these photographs form part of a long history of prevention. Though historical archives, they resonate with the present day, highlighting the pivotal role of companies in preventing workplace accidents and protecting employees. Arthur Mettetal