Thierry Maindrault’s Monthly Chronicle
Whether it is called dressing, wrapping, packaging or costume, the principle is the same: it is a matter of imagining a form in order to present a content.
For us, light catchers, the content is our creativity, which we bring to life with the more or less benevolent help of light. This content, photographic background, is a collection of creations, also known as the work of a photographer. I think it is appropriate to reposition the right words on the objects or on the ideas they define.
Indeed, this does not seem pointless, because we are going to discuss how words describe and express images, and more specifically our photographic images. It is well known that since its discovery, photography has very often been used to support words that were limited in their ability to provide complete descriptions. It should be noted that this applies to almost all areas in which photography has flourished (expertise, censuses, poetry, ethnography, and hundreds of others). It is obvious that the reverse is also true when a linguistic construction attempts to interest us or encourage us to penetrate the image.
Out of courtesy to our writer friends, we will immediately set aside all images that are uninteresting, lack meaning, or are of poor quality. Even if we pour out truckloads of words, however sophisticated and convoluted they may be, an uninteresting image will never become an attractive reference. I have frequently been struck by the fact that the level of the writers—of all styles—of these “eulogies” was of the same caliber as the authors of the “photographs” they praise. Birds of a feather flock together.
We will therefore remain in the realm of photographs that want to tell us something, that try to seduce us, that transport us to other spaces. These images, whether intentionally or not, will generate literature in various forms. Because many texts are written in a lot of varieties!
Since we have to start with a genre, photography has proven capable of successfully inspiring a number of novelists. Some writer imaginations dreamed stories from one or more photographs, famous or not, as a starting point. It is hardly possible to form an opinion on this approach. Only by reading these works of fiction, born from a third party’s graphic imagination, can each reader find satisfaction, emotion, or rejection.
Poetry is no exception. It has often allowed for interweaving or parallels between images and words in their symbolism. Each of the two authors draws their own works from a joint effort or a reinterpretation of the other’s creation. This type of approach has been widely used by pairs of authors who are recognized in their respective disciplines. It should be noted that regardless of the technical forms used on either side, they have no impact on the substance of the final presentation of the material results: the text and the image.
Next come the essays, an approach that consists of dissecting an author’s work through a set of elements that allow for various assumptions about the images and possibly their author. In this highly exploited editorial context, the writer is very often looking for a famous and well-known photographer in order to benefit from the appeal of their approach and gain a little notoriety for themselves. The “people” effect is looming!
As for theses, these embryonic essays are generally academic in nature and their literary mastery is also very limited. The interest of these works lies in their more factual arguments and subjects (works or authors) that are much less well known, except to insiders, such as jury members.
Filling a few pages of a catalog, or even a book preface, takes us, with few exceptions, away from literary creation. The writing is torn between the desire to bring extra soul to the event or object that inspired the writing and the concern to enhance the reader’s perception of the photographs. I always appreciate it when explanations, if necessary, are found at the end of the book. More, anecdotes about the author’s private life, however exciting they may be, do not seem essential.
Educational displays in an exhibition are a delicate and subtle task to carry out, and all too often they are unsuccessful. Biographies and other explanations of the artworks on display should inform each visitor of what they should already know, what they think they know, and what they should be able to remember. It goes without saying that all this only concerns the context of the artworks, which must remain the focus of the exhibition. That is why I recommend placing these displays at the end of the visitor way so as not to disrupt the relationship that should be lived between the images and the reader.
The wording of the announcements remains essentially soliciting. This is not a criticism, as it is precisely the intended goal. In most cases, I regret the choices made, both in terms of the photograph(s) used and the poor quality of the promotional texts. A little creativity and professionalism would not hurt the documents (posters, invitations, press advertisements, etc.) designed to invite us to discover the exhibition. This remark applies as much to the form as to the content
I will conclude with the articles and reviews that will be added, after the fact, to the presentation of events or artworks. We have arrived to the journalistic work, observations about what is visible to all, for a more or less extended period of time. The articles consist of reporting facts, observations, and practical information as honestly as possible. These narratives must therefore be accurate, comprehensive, and accessible so that everyone can make plans if they wish to see the exhibition or read the book.
When it comes to criticism, things become a little more complicated. On the one hand, the author of the text must have a thorough understanding of the ins and outs of the subject they are covering. This includes technical knowledge specific to photography and its various forms of presentation to the public. It also takes into account the actual impact in relation to creative research. Finally, a sincere analysis requires writing that cannot be misleading to readers who will be inspired by it. An objective and factual section, covering successes and mistakes, followed by the writer’s unequivocal personal feelings. We are not passing judgment, only sharing.
Literature and photography are certainly not antithetical, as some would have us believe. However, it is true that poor images supported by poor texts can wreak havoc on readers. A fortiori, this spells disaster for future photographers.
But let’s be clear, it is not by entrusting our intelligence to computers (even if they are filled with binary concepts) that things will improve for writers, photographers, and their loyal followers.
Thierry Maindrault, October 24, 2025
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