Yes to a Rosy Future - Tapa dura

It was an overwhelming sight that met photographer Nicolas Righetti when he arrived in Dasmascus in May 2007. Preparations for the coming election were in full swing and the city was smothered with one image, that of the unopposed President, Bashar al Assad, who was to be re-elected another seven years. From monumental portraits to publicity handouts in both public and private spaces, the ruler of Syria became unavoidable and the message was clear; 'Yes To A Rosy Future' was emblazoned on campaign posters everywhere.

Nicolas Righetti was born in Geneva in 1967 and studied at the Beaux-Arts de Geneve. His travels, particularly in Asia, sparked in interest in totalitarian politicians and how they are represented and this became the basis for Righetti s work to come. Righetti is a member of the photo agency Rezo and works for numerous publications, including La Repubblica, Newsweek, The New Yorker and The New York Times. Yes To A Rosy Future is Righetti's third book exploring how power is projected within dictatorships and capturing the megalomaniacal leaders of such regimes. The Last Paradise, Righetti's book on North Korea (published by Olizane/Umbrage), won the 2004 Swiss Press Award in the 'Foreign' category. He then went on to receive the World Press First Prize in the category 'Portrait Stories' in 2007 for his work on the former head of Turkmenistan which was published by Trolley in the book, Love Me Turkmenistan.