Case study
- Art and Design
- Institute for photography
Photosensibles — A report on the workshops held by 5 photographers on their approach to photography
Background
The 2021-2022 cultural season marked the first collaboration between the Pas-de-Calais department and the Institute for Photography. Between past, present and future, this collaboration focused on questions about our archive images – both individual and collective – and the human and environmental realities of this territory.
The project was carried out at the Bellimont (Pernes), Albert Camus (Outreau) and Jacques Brel (Fruges) secondary schools, at the Centre d'Accueil et d'Examen des Situations in Nédonchel, and in three social and judiciary structures in Saint-Omer (the Plateforme d'aide aux aidants ELSAA, the Maison des Adolescents Littoral and the Protection Judiciaire de la Jeunesse) that photographers Catherine Duverger, Matthieu Gafsou, Cédric Gerbehaye, Hugo Clarence Janody and Lionel Pralus invited the people involved to use images – their own and those of others – to express in a different way what intimately moves them.
This publication looks at the stories told, imagined and sometimes hoped through five distinctive graphic objects.
Valuing singular approaches in the context of the series
Box containing the 5 graphic objects. White ink screen-printed by Lézard Graphique on die-cut kraft board.
During our conversations with Alice Rougeulle and Noé Kieffer (in charge of this project for the Institute for photography), we thought it would be a good idea to create a series of graphic objects that would reflect the context of each workshop, rather than a single edition in which each photographer's approach would be diluted.
The question of singularity then arose: how can we create a shared sense of meaning while preserving the essence of each artist's approach?
To respond to this question, we proposed a series of invariants: combinations of composition and coloured surfaces, a typographic recurrence and a similar standard format – in appearance only, but that's the whole essence of our proposal.
Each edition, thanks to a specific set of folds and finishes, is deployed in a unique way, sometimes revealing a larger format, sometimes an additional document, and so on. The materials used (paper of different thicknesses) and the printing technique (using direct tones) also echo the use we make of each object.
We then had to think up a way of presenting these documentss in a container that would also reflect the overall context of the collaboration.
Caption
1/5 "Fausses archives" (False archives), Lionel Pralus
The cover is printed in direct tone, using the same tint as the artist's cyanotype experiments.
2/5 "Internes" (Interns), Cédric Gerbehaye
The portraits, printed in black, are enhanced with a selective varnish.
3/5 "Je passe où j'écris" (I go where I write), Hugo Clarence Janody
Leporello with detachable cards. Printed in one tone on the front and four-colour on the back.
4/5 "Mémoire photosensibles" (Photosensitive memories), Catherine Duverger
A stapled double-sided image can be unfolded in the centre of this 12-page brochure.
5/5 "Vivants" (Alive), Matthieu Gafsou
Once unfolded, this edition transforms into a double-sided poster, whose transparency creates a link between the artist's images and those of the students invited to participate in the project.
This project presents the work of Lionel Pralus, Cédric Gerbehaye, Hugo Clarence Janody, Catherine Duverger and Mathieu Gafsou.
- Client
- Field
- Art and Design (20)
- Medium
- Feature
- Year
- 2022