Photographer Yann Datessen is currently exhibiting his photographic series “Léthé” along the Canal de l’Ourcq in Paris. The images have been hung on the bridges over the canal or on the lock gates that breathe life into the mythical river. The artist talks to us today about this series and the road he traveled to produce this installation and of the reactions of the “visitors”… This exhibition is on view until October 18 this year. The prints were made by Picto Lab.
Lethe by Yann Datessen on the Canal de l’Ourcq
“Lethe,” the title of this series, is one of the rivers in Greek mythology that separates the underworld from the land of mortals. It is said that whoever drinks a drop of its waters loses all memory, every remembrance of his or her loved ones. While photography is made to talk about “traces,” I wanted to spread the remaining traces of a painful story along a stretch of water. Lethe is the first chapter in a three-part work, to be followed by Acheron and Styx, two other allegorical subterranean rivers.
It took about two years to obtain the necessary authorizations: “exhibitions like this are not done in the city,” officials told me to gauge my motivation. All right. So whom do I ask? Start with the town hall of the arrondissement, explain, make your case, talk about art in times of crisis… Then approach the administration, the police department, communications department, road services, canal services, the river police, to which one must also add independent agencies that own the selected sites: the national railways, electricity supplier… It took two years. Then came the big day to mount the installation. On the big day it rained, a real downpour, half the friends on my team stayed in bed hoping that the other half would get up. In the meantime, 85 square meters of tarp and dibond were sitting under September showers. No big deal: we catch up by working through Saturday and Sunday to hang it all up. After 48 hours of rain, wind, and cold, comes Monday, time to sit back and enjoy it, I thought. Big mistake: a storm hit Paris, tearing down half the exhibition. It took another week to replace everything.
The sun came out last weekend, so I wanted to finally contemplate the fruit of my efforts. Except that at a public exhibition one must interact with the viewers, that is one must confront others, all others and not just those who like images… The latter are kind enough to smile with their eyes, stroll by, and thank me with benevolent silence. Some, whom I rubbed the wrong way, go out of their way to find me on the web, to insult me, drag me through the mud, while others take advantage of my presence, as I remove tags and mend tears, and accost me: “what does that mean?” The tone is often challenging, more rarely curious and innocent, and I explain to them sheepishly: “this is a photographic itinerary that starts over there and ends over here, it tells the story of a couple but one could also say that… etc.” The explanations are not enough: “ok, but other than that, what does that mean?” And while I answer the skeptics, sometimes the iconophobes, those who mean business, flock around, eye me scornfully, and finally let it out: “so, it’s you the ‘artiste’? Well… You listen to me: this is a disgrace, who gave you permission to do this? It’s an absolute outrage, get this out of here right this minute!”
I wanted to see my dreams reflect in the reality as in a mirror held up between what is tangible and what is fleeting, between trace and oblivion, air and water, land and art. With gusty winds lashing Paris, on dark nights when no one is watching, perhaps some of them might take the chance to trade places. Lethe is that river of the underworld in Greek mythology.
EXHIBITION
Le Léthé
Yann Datessen
September13 – October 18, 2015
Canal de l’Ourcq
75019 Paris
France
Prints by Picto
http://yanndatessen.fr
