Jean-Claude Bélégou
2005/2010 ÉLOGE DE L'AMOUR /
PRAISE OF THE LOVE
The title of this cycle is an obvious reference to Plato's Symposium, and his hierarchy of desires. Each one of these works is a variation of this praise, as Plato's speeches throughout his Symposium.
It is also a definite reconciliation with life and a certain kind of happiness, always conscious of its fragility. This is the same kind of happiness as it is depicted in Matisse 'works, whom I used to consider, as his detractors characterised him, as a "decorative" painter. I find in Renoir or Lartigue (whom I long hated) as well as in Balthus or Hopper 'works this similar atmosphere.
The transition between the previous period, The revenge of the flesh, is achieved imperceptibly. To a certain extent, The Young girl is the continuation of The beautiful summer, which is itself the continuation of The luncheon o the grass. In the same way that The beautiful days is the continuation of The beautiful summer. The young girl continues The sex of the angels. From a formal standpoint, The Mirror uses the same devices than Artist & models.
A new softness and lightness emerges.
These years were also the period when I progressively moved from silver to digital photography. The evolution required the change of picture format, for better or for worse. The handling of camera was new and lightened.
I continued to work with Pierre Brullé's gallery in Paris.
Lars Schwander organised an exhibition at the Fotografisk Center in Copenhague in 2008.
In summer 2009: Group exhibition in Arles photographic meetings (RIP) curated by Jean-Claude Lemagny.
Lecturer in History of Photography at the university of Le Havre in 2005.
In 2007, Launch of "Digital(e)", the web review of the photographic workshop I led until 2010.
In 2010, Normandy Impressionnist Festival. >>>>>>>>
www.belegou.org // mobiles area
