27 April 2009

Review

BEIRUT: Nature -- trees, flowers, plants. The subject of the series of color photographs taken between 2002 and 2005 by Franck Christen is as essential as it is unpretentious. The Belgium photographer is faithful to a demanding realism that long seems to have been the guiding principle of his work. His straightforward approach and rejection of any lyricism or pathos is equally evident in his portraits and still life and nature photos. 

Born in France in 1971, Christen studied photography at the prestigious La Cambre National School of Visual Arts in Belgium, and is considered the last heir of the Bauhaus artistic movement. His preference drifts towards minimalism and conceptual art, like that defended by Joseph Beuys. Specializing in portraits, he immediately abjured spectacular composition, considering it too common in modern photography.

Espace Kettaneh Kunigk chose to stage a solo exhibition of Franck Christen's work on Lebanese nature. This is not the artist's first artistic experience in this country. Ten years ago, the present gallery owners invited him to travel to Beirut, where he created a series of portraits, landscapes and still life pieces that were exhibited at Beirut Hall. "The artistic effervescence of these years truly impressed me," Christen says. He returned to Beirut in 2002, collaborating with fashion designer Rabih Kayrouz and jeweler Selim Mouzannar. "My work is appreciated for avoiding any kind of artifice," Christen explains.

His latest exhibition, currently up in the Espace Kettaneh Kunigk's Gefinor Center location, regroups 31 of his 2002-2005 photographs devoted to Lebanon's natural environment, most of them printed in large scale. "People are surprised that such a beautiful flora still exists in Lebanon," Christen says. "Some of my pictures were taken only a few miles away from the capital."

Christen's images show branches, leaves and blossoms forming an ornament against a background of grey sky. It's almost impossible to know where the pictures were taken, the photographer giving hardly any hint of context - except for those who may recognize the Mediterranean flora. Sunlight and shadows are absent, as well as any surroundings, avoiding any reference to space and time. In this way, Christen abjures clich?s and escapes the diktat of conventional pictorial composition.

The artist's method reduces the environment to simple elements, concentrating our attention on the diversity of form and color. His photos capture the beautiful ephemeral shades of Lebanon's quickly changing seasons. He focuses on the transparency of an apple tree's delicate flowers, for example, or on the forceful red of a vineyard in autumn.

"I never intended to refer to Japanese engravings," Christen explains, "but the viewers are free to draw parallels."

The presence of a picture of Pine trees in the exhibition makes it difficult to not draw parallels. It was taken in front of the sun, thereby accentuating the contrast between the darkness of the branches and the brightness of the sky in the background, creating the illusion of a black-and-white photography. Thanks to this process, the trees' windings are perfectly defined, almost stylized.

Contrast is an integral part of Christen's minimalist photography. One of his pictures of an olive tree beautifully reveals a seemingly infinite ladder of greens. The tree's leaves monopolize the frame, conveying an impression of profusion and delicacy. Another refined picture of a cactus enhances the contrast between the tender material of the plant and the lively orange of its flowers.

Another picture represents a dozen black irises. The "sofrana," as the species is called, can only be found in the region of Lebanon. Christen was attached to taking a picture of that flower. "If the Lebanese viewers could discover new species from their country," Christen says, "I would be pleased." His picture reveals the freshness and the thickness of the iris' leaves as well as the black and stunning deep purple veins of its petals.

The living things captured by Christen's photographic minimalism never seem to be locked up in a glass box. The nature revealed by his work is always lively, sensorial, tactile and, above all, deeply moving.

Franck Christen's "La nature agit, l'homme fait" is up at Espace Kettaneh Kunigk, Gefinor Center Block E until May 23. For further information call + 961 1 738 706.

Copyright The Daily Star 2009.