Jeff WALL, The Crooked Path

Until Sep 11, the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels hosts a promising exhibition, the Crooked Path, which mixes 25 photographs by Jeff Wall with other artists’ works, from Atget to more contemporary names such as Thomas Ruff or Mark Lewis. The show has been co-conceived by Jeff Wall, hence giving a fine view at the artist’s inspiration and references.

For those who can’t make it to Brussels, and even for those who can, I recommend viewing the one hour long conference given by Jeff Wall, who made a kind of “guided tour” of the exhibition (http://www.bozar.be/webpage_broadcastitem.php?broadc_id=1354). Wall speaks, in brilliant terms, of photography issues, such as the importance of scale, the role of artifice, or the distinction between documentary and literary approaches. On a more personal note, he comes back to his career beginnings as a minimal and conceptual artist (for the anecdote, Jeff Wall work was included in Lucy Lippard 557087 exhibition in 1969, almost ten years before his first light box image…). Among other references, Wall gives credits to other artists’ work, one fine example being Jean-Marc Bustamante Tableaux series, created as early as the end of the 70’s, all unique (as paintings “tableaux”, standing on their own), an underestimated gem in photography history.

Mohamed BOUROUISSA, Périphériques

I usually keep a bias towards cautiousness when considering the work of “hot new artists”. A few years, a real buzz surrounded Mohamed Bourouissa, a young photographer born in Algeria and living in France. He received the Voies Off prize at Rencontres d’Arles, and among other things, exhibited some of his “Périphériques” images in the “Younger than Jesus” New Museum show. What a start for an artist who just graduated from Paris’ Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs.
What is it about ? Briefly described, staged snapshots of street scenes in Paris suburbs, striking and beautiful at the same time. The influences are numerous, including of course Jeff Wall. At first impression, I was afraid of being manipulated: struck by no more than clichés of violent suburb areas.

Some time has passed by, and I would now more relate the Periphériques series to Paul Graham’s American night, which is a compliment in my mind. The work is more political than it may first appear to be. Bourouissa is voluntarily playing with social clichés of violence and minorities. People would have probably been waiting for a Nan Goldin type of photographer, with guts and instant snapshots. On the contrary, Bourouissa takes his time, precisely detailing his stages, and borrows his visual compositions from (now) traditional painters, such as Caravagio.
This political stance is even more obvious in his more recent work “Temps mort”, exhibited at Kamel Mennour Gallery. Bourouissa asked jailed acquaintances to take pictures in prison, here again following a precise mandate. Behind the prints, hidden to the view, the artist has inscribed SMS texts, his only link with his characters.

Images courtesy the artist & Mennour Gallery