h. nazan ışık—

16 September 2017—

What is more important for a remarkable exhibition? Is it the name of an artist, or work, or installation?

But for this exhibition no need to pay attention which one is more important. All is there!

Photo: © h. nazan ışık

Alain Willaume’s “Valnurable” exhibition at the FIAF Gallery.

“French photographer Alain Willaume works outside the traditions of documentary photography to create unusual photos that evoke a ghostly undercurrent in our everyday lives” reads FIAF’s press notes. It is more than that!

Some works look like a part of a long-term documentary, some photojournalism, and some fine art.

“Are you a documentarian, photojournalist, fine art photographer?” I asked Alain Willaumet who started his photography career in 1979, and has been a member of ‘Tendance Floue’ a French collective of experimental photographers.

Recipient of many awards Willaument doesn’t only take haunting images; he also has a great sense of humour.

© h. nazan ışık

“I am just a photographer!” said Willaumet, as he stood in front of one of his images with lightening, and posed unexpectedly. I almost missed it.

The installation is another work of art. Very challenging, very bold it is.

As seen in the first photo, red walls hug very shiny black floor, which creates upside down images by reflecting exhibited photographs.

Don’t hope to buy an image on the wall. Some small, some wall size photographs are printed on a special paper and glued on the red walls., even some of them on top of each other. Only one line of same, small size, framed images placed on another paper images create an very orderly line

© h. nazan ışık.

Curator François Hébel (left) and photographer Alain Willaumet are at the opening reception in the FIAF Gallery.

Francois Hébel is a well know name in photography world. He was Director of Les Rencontres de la photographie at Arles in 1986-1987, and he led the photography agency, Magnum (Paris and International) from 1987 to 2000. And more…..

“What would you advise photographer, the ones whom you work with, or/and any photographers” I asked François Hébel.

“Be free! Get off the frame” he answered.

“Vulnarable” is the sixth exhibition of the French Protocol series in the FIAF Gallery, curated by François Hébel, and installed by Willaumet and Hébel.

Photos © h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN

© h. nazan ışık