When talking about what I want to do with some archival images, for example in the articles below, I always mention the classic animation technique of ‘stop motion by replacement’. Here is an example of a very well-done use of the technique. Also with archival images: of the Apollo mission to the moon.
Stop motion by replacement
Contributing to Afrikadaa – Unsettling Photocollections
In Afrikadaa I publish about the artistic search I conduct on the 19th century anthropometric photocollections : the search for the context, the search for the photomaterial itself, and, most of all, the sensitive questions on how to use, by whom, and how to speak of these unsettling images. read more…
Contributing to DW B: Anthropometric photography
I have been looking into the 19th century photography, as a central means to invent and define the ‘other’. It is a very interesting part of imperial and of photographic history, and it has become the core of my research. This month I publish on this in the leading literary magazine DW B. read more…
Reproduction of a human zoo
Two Norwegian-based artists thought that the public should remember the ‘Human Zoo’ of 1914. For its hundredth birthday, they decided to reenact it. read more…
To know the pymies VIIIbis: in a changing world
The same filmmaker, Laurent Maget, made the documantary ‘Pygmées Baka, le grand virage’ in 2013. It starts with the same beautiful imagery, showing a large community of Baka in their more sedentary surroundings ‘Le Bosquet’ in Cameroun. They tell of how they got there, invited by a ‘sister’ (I presume a christian missionary) to come live there, next to a village, and create a large community. This worked, they got advantages like a school. The community attracted researchers (biologic anthropologists) who have in return a dentist pass by regularly. Then it also attracted Bantou shopkeepers. read more…
To know the pygmies VIII, working with a researcher
I finally show you something really good in the ‘To know the pygmies’ series. A documentary movie in which we follow the linguistic researcher Pascale Paulin and the Baka hunter and medicine man Sumba Ngogo Ndong Azombo Alain. First they work at the university of Lyon, then they go on a tour through the forests of Gabon. read more…
Artists – Romuald Hazoumé
From my point of view, one of the strongest contemporary artists is Romuald Hazoumé. His thematic is slavery, his medium the jerrycan. read more…
Doris Lessing – Briefing for a descent into hell (1971)
I just had a wonderful moment reading the passages I had scanned from this book, years ago. Surely it talks about the ‘Primitives’ theme! Then I went trough some book reviews to refresh my memory of the whole picture. And guess what.. none of the reviews say even one word about the elements that have stricken me most in the book. read more…
Doris Lessing
At this moment while I am reading Doris Lessings Mara and Dann, very happy that I finally got a hold of that book, I hear that Doris Lessing died today at the age of 94. For me, she is the best writer ever and as she wrote a LOT, I still have a long list of her books that I need to read. read more…
Artists – Vincent Meessen
Many artists work or have worked about the colonial thematics. I need to mention Vincent Meessen now, because he has an excellent exhibition in Ghent, running until November 17, 2013. read more…
