Wandering with Louis Guermond, the Frenchman Passionate About Photography and Transylvania
I can’t even remember exactly when I first met Louis Guermond, the Frenchman from Brittany who has gone into self-imposed exile among the Romanians of Transylvania, in Sibiu: either amid the hustle and bustle of the street performances at the 2011 Theater Festival (SITF)—back when Richard Demarcy was still alive—or on a “Tram Named Cioran” en route to Rășinari, photographing both actors and spectators with a keen eye for detail.
When I found out a few days ago on Facebook that he would be exhibiting part of his body of work as a Sibiu-based photographer at a pawnshop in Piața Mare, I was delighted and marked the event on my calendar, since I’d only seen Louis once or twice since the pandemic.
Louis Guermond, unlike the rest of us, doesn’t just capture personal impressions; his photographs always tell a story, and that story is more about those around him than about himself. That’s his mastery—his ability to pay attention to others. In fact, as he confided to me, he didn’t want the opening to be like a formal launch—with a podium, people speaking into microphones, and others sitting in chairs—but rather a gathering of friends. So on Thursday, June 25, 2025, he came to the “Liquid Money” pawnshop (in the former “Perla” restaurant) in Piața Mare with a photo album, a guestbook for visitors’ comments, and a collection of copies of the photographs from the prints hanging on the walls—for anyone who wanted to buy one, he even signed the back. It was all just a chat among old acquaintances who hadn’t seen each other in a long time but had so much to say to one another.
Seeing Romanians settle in France is something that happens often and has become commonplace; but coming across a Frenchman who settles in Romania—that’s something extremely rare (it reminds me of the much-missed Eugene van Itterbeek, a Dutch Francophone writer who settled in Cisnădioara a few years ago). I’m glad that Louis is alive and more active than many of us—you can always run into him on the streets of Sibiu and at cultural events, even though he’s bothered by joint pain and the heat wave affects him. He continues to pursue his passion despite all the ups and downs. He’s younger at heart than many of the disillusioned Romanians.
Those discovering this Breton photographer—a refugee among the Transylvanians—for the first time can watch the interview conducted by Dinu Lazăr with Louis Guermond (Sibiu, mon Amour), as well as the themed video “Cefereul din sufletul meu” (The Romanian Railways in My Soul). If you missed the opening of the photo exhibition in Piața Mare but are curious to visit it, I’m sure you’ll still find it open at least through SITF 2026 at the “Liquid Money” pawnshop—I’ve also put together a photo essay of my own to serve as a “taster.”
The author of this article can’t write without coffee. If you’d like to help fuel his inspiration, you can do so via Buy Me a Coffee. Thanks in advance!