$
United States

Warning: in_array() expects parameter 2 to be array, null given in /data/sites/web/28vignonstreetcom/www/artist_single.php on line 344
28VignonStreet
Artist

Bruno V. Roels

Belgium, 1976

Born in 1976, Bruno Roels lives and works in Ghent (Belgium). He divides his time between writing and photographing. He considers the act of printing (turning a photograph into a tangible object) as important as the act of photographing itself. He photographs almost nonstop, documenting his entire life, building a sizable archive. In his dark room he uses that archive to explore the analogue photographic process. Rather than trying to make ‘the perfect gelatin silver print’ he assumes that all prints are perfect and gives all variations equal attention.

He’s looking for poetry, and photographic truth, in sequences and fluctuations. Details in his photographs may become lead motives in bigger compositions, and obvious subject matter is reduced to abstract information through numerous reiterations.

In his own words: "Getting away from the tyranny of viewfinders:
The American conceptual artist Baldessari warned against the “tyranny of camera viewfinders and rectangular boxes of enlarging papers”.

He had a valid point; a lot of photography is defined by the camera used, the film (or technology) in that camera, and the paper the photographs are printed on.

Bruno V. Roels was frustrated by this and started researching ways to get more out of the process. Not just to be ‘different’ but to get away from ‘the tyranny’ of normal photography.
Roels found that the very act of developing and printing analogue photography offers endless ways to be free, artistically.

All prints have value:
Instead of fussing over making the perfect gelatin silver print, for example, Roels realized that all printed versions of an image have value, and he decided to not show that one perfect print, but all of them, in one composition. Some of his compositions consist of hundreds variations of one single negative, all printed in the dark room.

Photography is a mimetic art, it imitates life. But Roels pushes it further: when printing variants of one image; he creates a mimetic feedback loop. The prints are not just interpretations of a reality, but of themselves as well.

‘A Palm Tree Is A Palm Tree Is A Palm Tree’:
To make that very clear Roels often uses photographs of palm trees. He’s working on a growing series called ‘A Palm Tree Is A Palm Tree Is A Palm Tree’.

He uses the iconic image of a palm tree (any palm tree) to prove his point. All palm trees look alike, and as a symbol the plants are highly recognizable. Historically they’re connected to victory, triumph, endurance, religion, hospitality, wealth, luxury, vacation, paradise. Palm trees have meaning across cultures.

But palm trees, just like photographs, are not to be trusted. A palm tree in the Monaco, France does not tell the same story as its counterpart in the warn-torn streets of Fallujah, Iraq. Or just think about the recent occupation of Palmyra, the ancient city in Syria, by the terrorist organization Islamic State. Symbolism abounds.

By using photographs of palm trees, Roels makes the idea of copying, mimicking and representation (all part of the very fabric of photography) very tangible. It’s not just a visual exercise; it has strong semantic, philosophical, even anthropological, ramifications as well.
He plans to take this research even further. Because palm trees are so widely recognizable, he’s free to deconstruct his own notions of photography, while trying to get away from the “tyranny of camera viewfinders and rectangular boxes of enlarging papers”."

Follow this artist

We will inform you as soon as we receive new works or books by this artist.

Share this artist

Share this artist on your preferred social media

Included in these exhibitions

About Love - Currently showing
Flowers For Henriette - Past exhibitions
Bruno V. Roels - Past exhibitions
About Love - Past exhibitions
Cookie policy
28 Vignon Street uses cookies to improve your user experience. By continuing, you agree to these cookies. You can read all about it in our cookie policy.
YOU ARE CURRENTLY ON THE SITE FOR

Selecting your country will allow 28VignonStreet to offer you services adapted to your location.

Choose your country
Choose your language
Choose your currency

Warning: mysqli_fetch_row() expects parameter 1 to be mysqli_result, boolean given in /data/sites/web/28vignonstreetcom/www/php/mawfunc.php on line 941

Warning: mysqli_fetch_row() expects parameter 1 to be mysqli_result, boolean given in /data/sites/web/28vignonstreetcom/www/php/mawfunc.php on line 941

Warning: mysqli_fetch_row() expects parameter 1 to be mysqli_result, boolean given in /data/sites/web/28vignonstreetcom/www/php/mawfunc.php on line 941