"Figures of influence"
"
The
place: a former bra factory, where copies from original sculptures
used by the Fine Arts have been gathered together. Those statues
adjust to the different exhibitions the place organizes.
Olivier
Roller decides to go beyond the clichés of portraiture very early by
photographing his father using close-up frames with no artifice. He
has been working for three years now on a photographic fresco through
the theme of powerful people. He first photographed political men,
then extended his field of investigation with people who represents
other spheres and sectors of power. These
portraits bring together financiers, advertising moguls,
intellectuals, diplomats, and even Roman emperors.
The
exhibition at the Musée des Moulages stages Olivier Roller's
pictures in the middle of the statues, producing a play between those
two forms of art. Some statues seem to look at financiers with
disdain and french political men are overlooked by the statues. From
floor to ceiling, the pictures are gazing at each other, mixing
arrogant, proud and self-confident looks.
The
pictures are very different, some are side-on, others full-face, some
even show only their back. The light is hard, which highlighted
every defects on the models' faces. The focus is often on the eyes of
the models, the depth of length is important in order to make the
look the main point of the picture. All the portraits are orientated
in landscape, not in portrait, the frame is again always different,
sometimes the face fits perfectly the frame, sometimes it exceeds,
giving more or less impression of an imposing posture of the model.
During
the shooting, the roles are inverted: the photograph has the power
for 2 minutes. Olivier works very quickly, take a lot of pictures, he
looks for his models to let go, they come as they want: if they want
to put make-up or not and they also choose their clothes.
This
exhibition and the work of Olivier Roller were really interesting, I
think the theme of those figures of influence can be expanded, and
maybe opened to more women... Indeed, there was only a few portraits
of women in this exhibition, which still place the women of today
under men influence when it deals with power. Is that a choice of
Olivier Roller to reflect our society, or was it done completely
unintentionally?
Infos
:
du
13 mars au 6 avril 2013, du mardi au samedi de 14h à 18h
Au
musée des Moulages de Lyon 2
I found it also interesting that in the guide only their first names were given. Isn't that an argument against their power? We call politicians, bankers, important people always by their name, often we forget their first name.. Is Rollers way to question power? Furthermore, he shows the people he portraits absolutely not glamourous while on television, in papers, in magazines those people always look powerful and glamourous.
RépondreSupprimerI found theses works very interesting, very powerful : The way to take theses photos, with this light and this positions... Amazing ! Furthermore, it was very good to have someone who take time to explain to us the minings of this pictures. It permit to me, to be more implied in this exhibition.
RépondreSupprimerI just put here links about the work of Olivier Roller : an interview and and the shooting of Fillon
http://www.dailymotion.com/fr/relevance/search/olivier+roller/1#video=x1zsyk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HllX_vE9kjA
Après avoir poussé l'imposante porte de cette ancienne fabrique de sous-vêtements féminins, on entre dans le musée des moulages. Pour cette exposition , Figure de Pouvoir, on ne rencontre pas en premier lieu le regard vide des plâtres du XIXeme mais celui des photographies d'Olivier Roller. Il tire le ainsi le portraits à des personnes ayant une certaine position de pouvoir dans notre société. Il y a des politiciens, bien sur, des avocats, des chirurgien, des financiers, des publicitaires mais aussi des portraits de statues d'empereurs romains Il fait ainsi des portraits sans concessions sous une lumière crue et un fond neutre. Ces portraits semblent révéler la vraie personnalité des photographiés, ils apparaissent avec leurs défauts, leurs rides... sous un jour cruel sous lequel on ne voudrait pas forcément se donner à voir. Si ces photos ne sont pas flatteuses pour les modèles, elles sont belles à leur manière et l'esthétique d'Olivier Roller ne laisse pas indifférente.
RépondreSupprimerLes photographies se suffiraient à elles même mais le lieu d'exposition ajoute encore une dimension particulière. En effet un rapport s'instaure entre les photographies et les plâtres. La scénographie de l'exposition, mise en place par Olivier Roller et l'équipe du musée, nous amène à penser les plâtres comme des spectateurs de cette exposition, mais pas seulement par moment ils deviennent acteurs. Tour à tour ils regardent, font une haie d'honneur, se moquent, semblent saluer... On peut prendre l'exemple du joueur de pipeau placé à côté d'un financier comme si il se moquait de son activité, on pense bien sur aussi à la statue musclée sans tête placée devant le portrait de François Hollande. Ainsi on s'amuse en même tant que les statues des jeux d'échelle entre le 2D des Photos, la 3D des statues, les différences de tailles entre les photos, les jeux de hauteur, de plongé, de contre-plongé, et bien sur des photos elles-mêmes...