L’Heure bleue is a photographic series composed of five portraits of young adolescents. These young girls, from the Deauville-Trouville area, are aged between 12 and 15. They are photographed in the villa Strassburger in Deauville with a light inspired by the masters of the Flemish Golden age. I chose to photograph young girls because I have for some time been intrigued by their evolution in our society. They live in a world of adults where it is difficult for them to find their place, being no longer children but not yet quite women.
Of Dutch origin on my father’s side, I grew up carefully observing the paintings of the great Flemish masters, such as Vermeer, or Rembrandt. Their light has always fascinated me for it simultaneously emanates both a great gentleness and mystery. This is what I tried to reproduce in these photographs. I used this light (giving the illusion of a light of day coming from a window) in order, on the faces of these young women, to create an ambiguity as to their age. Generally used to paint portraits of older women, this light gives them an enigmatic expression and creates a certain confusion that accentuates the “woman-child” mystery.
Julia De Cooker
ECAL (Lausanne), The Netherlands/France
L’Heure bleue
October 27 – December 2, 2012
Salle des fêtes
Avenue de la République
Deauville, France
Video Credit : Ildiko Peter
