Stéphane Couturier - Transmutations at the Arendt House
The exhibition by the French artist Stéphane Couturier- Transmutations is on display at Arendt House until the end of February 2020 every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Transmutations brings together different series of photographs of transformed and transmuted urban landscapes, made between 2018 and 2019.
“I take ideas, I knead them, I superimpose them, I recycle them, I let them rest for a few years, and then they're ready to work for me”
Since 1990, Stéphane Couturier focuses on photographic transformations of architectural landscapes in his work. Inspired by architects like Le Corbusier and artists like Fernand Léger, he creates a sort of deconstruction of reality, forming new constructions from an archive of photographs he has taken over the years. His series are often characterised by geometrical forms and lines which appear through the juxtaposition of the different photographs. The use of photographs in his digital creations is similar to the approach of a painter who uses material to create forms, structures and textures. Likewise, in Couturier’s work the photograph itself is not utilised as such but instead it serves as a material.
His superposition of photographs contains an infinite amount of textures, leaving the viewer somewhat confused. Whether urban landscapes, construction sites, deserted landscapes or factories, the viewer finds himself confronted with delusional realities. When standing in front of those monumental prints, the eye of the viewer is left to wander, disorientated, unable to focus on a single point. On the one hand, the superposition of two photographs in the artist’s series “Melting Point Sète” is not so obvious at first sight, it is only by analysing the work in detail that it can be recognised. On the other hand, in his series “les nouveaux constructeurs”, the montage inspired by Fernand Léger’s “Les constructeurs”, through its structured composition, is much clearer and recognisable from a certain distance for the viewer.
In this exhibition at Arendt House, each photographic composition, brings together two images to create a third. It is up to the spectator to add his or her own image by interpretation.
In his approach, which goes beyond that of a photographer, Stéphane Couturier likes to place his concept of photography at the intersection between different medias such as documentation, photography, urban and sociological creations, with the clear commitment of a contemporary artist. He doesn’t consider himself a conventional photographer but rather as an artist using photography, who tries to move away from the codes of photography. Couturiers’ work explores the boundaries of photography in an interesting way, while documenting the disappearance of industrial society and the transformation of space resulting in urban metropolises around the world.
From the outside, the gigantic windows make it possible for pedestrians to have a glimpse of the exhibition, which is an interesting first approach to his work. Indeed, the intertwining of the architecture of the Arendt House building by Diener & Diener with the urban landscapes in Couturier’s work makes the viewer curious for more. Once inside, the high ceilings in the hallway make it a perfect space to exhibit Couturier’s man-sized photographs.
Transmutation is an exhibition not to miss when in Luxembourg for anyone who has a deep fascination for cities in constant mutation, modern architecture and industrial aesthetics.
About the exhibition space:
Arendt is a Luxembourgish law firm that offers an extensive photographic collection and an exhibition space open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. Twice a year, they organise exhibitions with emerging and famous photographers from around the world. The collection is composed by acquisitions from the temporary shows. The principle of organising exhibitions before adding the photographs to the collection, is to make the lawyers engage with the work of the artists. Currently, Arendt has a collection of about 250 photographs from about 60 different artists.
MADE IN BED Contributor
Claire Di Felice