“All That Life Can Afford” brings together some of the thousands of photographs I have taken on the streets of London over the last twenty years.
The images mainly show people in their daily lives, on their way to work, shopping or traveling. I like to photograph people naturally, when they are not in representation and are not aware of being observed. This is where they are most uninhibited, relaxed and true. Conversely, I realize that nowadays people are always in representation: in reality shows, on Facebook, in the media. Opportunities are rare to observe people without feeling the need to act. This is the case on the street.
I also like to capture the comic, the absurd, or the unsettling coincidences that I see. They require a huge effort of concentration on my part, but also on the part of the viewer: I create sorts of visual acuity tests, which I hope people enjoy decoding.
My equipment consists of a small telemetric focusing Leica, and a pair of comfortable shoes. I sometimes walk more than twenty kilometers a day while taking photos, which I almost erase when seeing the result. But I comfort myself by thinking that I am following the traces of my heroes, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand and Martin Parr, who are my sources of inspiration.
Matt Stuart – All that life can afford
Festival Photographique l’Œil Urbain
April 5 – May 19
Corbeil-Essonnes
