The Guardian Angels
Strange state of being a museum keeper: to be exhibited without being looked at, let alone recognized. Constitutively out of scope, out of topic. Confronted with this almost ontological non-existence, barely disturbed by a few questions from visitors or calls to order, everyone is doing as best they can. Some remain fixed on their chair: with their gaze fixed, they seem elsewhere, as in Zen meditation. Others move slowly and absent-mindedly around the room, literally idle, under the watchful eye of the masters. Do their thoughts, their dreams feed on the works in their care? Nothing is less sure. Rather, I believe that they have mastered the art of passing the time without focusing on an object but passing from one to another, lightly, in a floating way. Denying the misfortune according to Pascal, these artists of nothing, know “to remain in rest”. It is this singular profession – I was going to say performance – that my images seek to capture. Silent, transparent and protective, museum guardians are also angels.
Bernard Chevalier
