L’archipel : Paradise Now.
For several years, Patrick Mourral has joined communities in various parts of Europe – mostly nomads – whose alternative way of life differs dramatically from that which characterizes our societies. And he shows us today, through a very coherent and convincing set of images, how these motley groups chose to realize their ideal.
He gave this work the title of Archipelago which can be understood as a metaphor: a universe that stands out from the continent. The images express not only the close relationship he maintains with those he photographs, but also the complicity; and with as much respect as attention, he describes everyday marginality, material conditions linked to a renunciation of today’s comfort, a different pace of life, the pooling of goods and values, exchanges human beings, the fusional relationship of individuals with nature and many other realities. No ritual of a religious nature, but rather moments of serenity corresponding to a communion of bodies and spirits.
These photographs strike us with the sincerity and honesty of the testimony they bear and could only be considered for their documentary content; this is not their only quality. Their very shape, precise and clear, calm and silent, without effect or anecdote, translates, symbolizes the search for a balance, a harmony: the very structured look, a sense of composition and a correct color, a restrained aesthetic. , are all traits that echo the delicate quest in which these communities engage.
Gabriel Bauret
Exposition :
Salon Mac Paris
From May 25 to 30, 2021
Bastille Design Center
74 bd Richard Lenoir – Paris
