contessanally: Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore - Le Stanze della Fotografia - Patrick Mimran

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore - Le Stanze della Fotografia - Patrick Mimran - Out of Focus

"Let's take it further, ready when you are."

Le Stanze della Fotografia

Patrick Mimran - Out of Focus

On the first floor of Le Stanze della Fotografia - until August 11 - multidisciplinary artist - Patrick Mimran - Out of Focus - exhibition. Mimran's photography project, challenges traditional perceptions of reality through dreamlike imagery that blurs the line between reality and fiction. Drawing inspiration from mythology and employing technological manipulation, he creates abstract, surreal visions that evoke the unconscious and suspense, inviting continuous dialogue and interpretation - the images challenge conventional photographic norms, encouraging viewers to explore the boundaries of perception and imagination.

In tandem with monumental monochromatic works, Patrick Mimran presents small-scale images that encapsulate the essence of his installations. Placed in unconventional settings like home bathrooms or cramped refrigerator shelves, these juxtapositions challenge narrative expectations, diverging from conventional content transmission. Mimran's integration of color into predominantly black and white environments echoes Saul Leiter's portrayal of New York in the mid-20th century, signaling a yearning for intimacy reflected in his pictorial gaze.

photograph - Andreas Bahrdt - courtesy Patrick Mimran

Multidisciplinary artist Patrick Mimran was born in Paris in 1956 and currently divides his time between Switzerland and the United States. He has primarily developed his work in the fields of visual arts and music. His paintings have been showcased in prestigious public and private spaces worldwide. Since the 1990s, he has embarked on various multimedia installation projects involving music, video, and photography. In 2001, Mimran launched his Billboard Project in New York's Chelsea neighborhood, featuring various aphoristic reflections on art, which he continued in Europe, including Venice, Rome, Bologna, and Moscow.

Slightly Out of Focus - Patrick Mimran

photograph courtesy Patrick Mimran + Le Stanze della Fotografia

Mimran's Out of Focus project draws inspiration from cinema noir, exploring a mythological dualism where man and woman represent facets of a single organism. Through technological manipulation, Mimran aims to heal the rift between imagination and realization, offering distorted images that challenge conventional aesthetics. His works dwell in the realm of the unconscious, inviting viewers to decipher their ambiguity. Mimran's approach mirrors that of a contemporary shaman, delving into the essence beyond matter
Patrick Mimran - Untitled - 140x105 cm - 2023

ChromaLuxe Thermo Metal Prints reinforced with Alu-Dibond

"I've contemplated the photographic medium extensively throughout my journey and especially in creating this series...Photography is paradoxical—it's viewed as the medium for depicting reality objectively, yet interpretations of - objective reality - vary greatly. Some prefer black and white for its artistic representation, while others advocate for color. The same debate exists between digital and analog photography. Personally, I'm not interested in objective reality. I prefer to envision things as I imagine them or would like them to be."
Patrick Mimran

Patrizia Cortiana and Denis Curti

Mimran's visions delve into the essence of the human condition, balancing harmony and chaos. They capture fleeting moments and gestures, inviting viewers to engage with them as traces of existence, much like Duane Michals' enigmatic narratives. Instinct guides Mimran's photographic journey more than reason, as he pays tribute to life's encompassing and jolting experiences.These images transcend documentary constraints, leaving indelible imprints on the mind, evoking a succession of emotions that ultimately lead viewers into the labyrinth of doubt.