Thomas Wiegand
|
|
Book review of "SilverLight" in Kasseler Fotoforum, 2007
|
|
| SilverLight is first of all an artistic examination of the changes in technology. In the past and not so long ago either, the photographic process consisted of double exposure of light and photosensitive layers: for photographs on film and for enlargements on photographic paper. So far so good. Amin El Dib arranged exposed baryte paper into still lifes and photographed them. The torn edges and the light reflexes of the contrasty exposure reveal the genuine materiality of the traditional photographic paper. Within often lies an intensive black, which lends the still lifes a fascinating depth, reminiscent of the view from an alien planet into the vastness of the universe. But of course, it is not only about technique. The motives on the fragments of photo paper are sometimes more and sometimes less clearly discernible. What we see are the surface layers of skin. Man is in fragments, torn into pieces, his image is newly arranged and presented in a noble aesthetic way: A photo album can look like this, one that in its close linking of form and content has the potential to become a future classic. Incidentally: the expressive exposure of the paper still lifes and the hidden ring binding of the book, between the black folder cardboard, refer to the modern classic of artistic photography around 1930. In these changing times, El Dib pays tribute to the first avant-garde without appearing antiquated. Even when the photos are torn, the photography lives on. Thomas Wiegand, Kassel 2007 |
|
 |
 |