The project was a collaboration between Wolinski (scenario) and Chenz (photography), ensuring a high level of polished absurdism.
Choron used these photo-novels to challenge established values. Les Romans photos de Choron 1981
This essay draft explores the 1981 publication Les Romans-photos du Professeur Choron , focusing on its role as a subversive, "bête et méchant" (stupid and nasty) satire of popular culture, published by Editions du Square. The project was a collaboration between Wolinski (scenario)
In 1981, as the sentimental "photo-roman" (photo-novel) was a staple of sentimental popular press like Nous Deux , the anarchic Hara Kiri team, led by Professor Choron and Georges Wolinski, turned the medium into a weapon of mass satire. Les Romans-photos du Professeur Choron , released that year, wasn't merely a collection of jokes; it was a curated assault on social taboos, traditional morality, and the rising celebrity culture of the era. Through a mix of crude absurdity and visual subversion, the 1981 volume—which featured stars like Coluche, Renaud, and Gainsbourg—redefined the genre as a cornerstone of counter-culture humour. In 1981, as the sentimental "photo-roman" (photo-novel) was
Choron’s character often appeared as a cynical mentor or a chaotic protagonist, acting as a conduit for the "Hara-Kiri" spirit.
Featuring celebrities including Serge Gainsbourg, Renaud, Alain Souchon, Coluche, Eddy Mitchell, and Thierry Le Luron, the book treated these icons as participants in, rather than just subjects of, the absurdity.
