These historic photographs (primitive from the 19th century, modernistic from the 20th century) focus on the materiality of photography well beyond its function of spreading images and representing subjects. Based on the evolution of techniques and media, we see the velvety smoothness of proofs on salted paper and the lustrous vigor of the colors of those on albumen paper, to the classic photographic prints where the artist carved shapes from an infinity of blacks to creamy whites on papers rich in silver salts which he would often endow with gold or selenium tonings.
This material richness spans sensations other than visual so that all the senses are called. We are dealing with photographic flesh, not surface, and this flesh is sensual and voluptuous. It is this “object of desire” quality that can be seen in the exhibition at Galerie Michèle Chomette in Paris. It is the quality of a photographic object being able to awaken desire by putting all the senses to work: sight, touch, and especially the mental and sensitive terminals of desire. Desire to look, desire to contemplate, desire to touch, desire to possess in order to be able to look at them with satisfaction every day, every hour, every moment and feel immense pleasure.
At the same time, some relevant contemporary works by artists discovered by the gallery since 1985 (the majority being large format and in color) are dispersed throughout different sections of this historic exhibition.
Lumineux objets de désir
November 8 through December 22, 2017
24 Rue Beaubourg
75003 Paris
France
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