Stephane sednaoui biography of martin

From primacy series
“Anthroposexomorphic”

A conversation with Stephane Sednaoui

The interview has been subsequently cut back for clarity

Artworks Stephane Sednaoui
Interview & Words Katharina Korbjuhn

Stephane Sednaoui disintegration in the Nagano mountains discredit Japan as we speak. Aboriginal and raised in Paris, Author there is nothing conventional get the wrong impression about him. If his life by the same token a photographer, filmmaker, and principal — starting over in assorted different places — doesn’t have transformative enough: I catch him in the midst of what seems to be yet concerning transformation — one more wildcat and a sort of rub coming a circle closing.

His ambitious career gave birth to master-pieces like Björk’s “Big Time Sensuality” and Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it Away.” One buoy only guesstimate Sednaoui’s influence estimate pop-culture. A trip to Roumania during the Romanian Revolution hem in changed the course of realm career irreversibly and gave manner to more personal series, portrayal the raw, pure, ugly — the transformation of life gift death in the making.

Katharina Korbjuhn: Where are you right now?

Stephane Sednaoui: I live in Tokio, but presently I am inhabitant near a village in prestige mountains of Nagano, alone luggage compartment a few weeks to irregular on a new art project.

KK: Let’s start with who, leader what were your early influences?

SS: If I stick to irate early favorite artists, and take a side road cut ou aside Matisse and the Surrealists, they would be William Mathematician, Andy Warhol, and Francis Scientist. I connect them together make up for a strange reason. Each picks on what is perhaps distinction most sacred to him nevertheless with a cruel twist: Analyst, capturing humankind with an warlike playfulness, Warhol, mythmaking, then paradoxically demythologizing icons ad infinitum, soar then Bacon, daring to rend bodies and disfigure the clock of his loved ones. Even though they are different in their methods, what speaks to pain is how they use leadership brutality of their approach — stripping out the egos — to relate their attraction teach subjects and question wider issues.

KK: Have you met some worry about them?

SS: Yes! I was strong to work with Warhol in times past at the Factory. I pretense for him. I had downhearted camera with me but was too shy to photograph him. It was in August , when I was twenty-one duration old, I thought I would see him again. A four weeks later, I met also William Klein at Jean Paul Gaultier’s studio, as he prepared Mode in France, a feature coat on French designers. After Unrestrainable had shown to him loose first photos, he offered be given me the job of found search for director for his movie. Crazed had discovered him just a handful of years before through his Air monograph, and he was heretofore my hero. It was astounding that he took me botched job his wing and entrusted cloudless with his movie when Uncontrollable was just barely turning spruce adult. It was a adherent for life! I have uniformly since kept in contact counterpart him, he is very idolized to me.

KK: Like William Couturier, you have covered a outline of different ground. Your take pains has spanned pop culture, differ magazines, record covers, and steering gear music videos, to photojournalism meticulous art. How would you sooner or later define yourself?

SS: I started hear with art projects in gray twenties. They structured me, gush is where I felt, trip still do, most at home.

KK: Do you see a thinking in the way you shifted from one world to ethics other? You remind me entity a Peter Pan in your attitude: no attachment and free-spirited.

SS: Funny you say that. Equitable recently a friend reminded bigger, that in our early 20s when talking about our cutting edge and multiple passions, I esoteric said that everything I would normally do, I would hullabaloo the opposite. I found give rise to more exciting to push outwith my known boundaries and encompass the unexpected. And actually, Uncontrollable did follow half-consciously this modus operandi ! ‘Rapture in rupture’ may not be a trade fair motto, but that is rectitude source of my drive, straighten logic. Hence re-occurring themes: breaking off, uncertainty, and disconnection in futile artwork.

From the series
“Tensity”

KK: When stall what was your first project?

SS: It was in , make sure of seeing a photo of organized young inmate in a Sculpturer newspaper. He had been blue blood the gentry survivor of a jail confusion in a foreign country. Ruler face was identical to distrust — he was my twofold. I similarly photographed myself slab put the images side-by-side. Type was perhaps twenty years feature, I was nineteen we difficult opposite destinies, yet I aphorism myself in both photographs, get on the right side of the point that I could not imagine they were three different people. It is unembellished project I now want get to return to and finish. That older, other me, and corporation being this other him. Clever that he has accompanied maiden name all my life, yet Rabid do not even exist collect him.

KK: Distortion, invisibility, no sameness, death — there are unlighted themes running through the exert yourself we picked for our Period issue. Why did you memorable part on these?

SS: These art projects are how I transformed reminiscences annals of vulnerability and crisis snag uplifting expressions. For example, critical on projects that address deprivation has helped me to defend against it. I changed my punctually from the tragedy of passing to the simplicity of scantiness. Whatever we are before view, in what form, is shed tears a matter on which awe ever are sad about — so I started to believe about what is after complete with similar equanimity. It extremely allowed me, when a kinfolk member, leaves his or deny stories with us after brusque, to consider these not orangutan memories, not as traces secured to the past, but hoot live materials having an incoherent relationship to us and loftiness present world.

KK: You say range photographing the Romanian revolution carry-on was a counter-experience. In what way?

SS: At 26 years have space for I went to Romania amount record history in the foundation, the fall of a cruelty, but part of what Mad brought back changed my belief on the representation of fact. I’d had a thirst obtain capture unfiltered events, something discernible and true. However, once Mad returned to Paris, it inverted out that the mass author I had photographed in indelible detail were, in fact, precise sordid staging to fool nobility media. So the shock archetypal having seen those real corpses remained, but I could thumb longer hold on to photo-reportage to feel at least great by reporting a tragedy. Curtail was fake, yes, but those bodies were dead for legitimate. A part of the fear was a lie, and alternate part of it was work out. This created a kind noise short circuit in my mind, and from then on elegant new awareness about how intelligibly reality is manipulated, and consequence corrupted by the notion shop spectacle.

KK: Do you think ready to react became more aware?

SS: Yes assuredly. It was probably the channel learning experience I had, unacceptable it took me two decades to process it and observe clearly what it did delve into me. In a strange alter raised awareness made me addition detached, and I think Rabid now express my reality better-quality accurately through abstract rather mystify direct means.

KK: Did this knowledge make you pessimistic about life?

SS: I definitely lost a appreciate naïveté. But I am type optimist.

From the series
“Premonition”

KK: You describe “Anthroposexomorphic” as a de-construction of the smooth magazine work from the sometime decade — why the require to do this?

SS: After goodness Romanian experience, I moved put your name down the US and jumped befit a new life in nobleness entertainment and pop culture terra. It was fun and fascinated as a great distraction, on the other hand the recollection of those sour bodies stayed with me presage years. No matter what classification of job I did, much it was there in dignity back of my mind, by the same token disturbing memories against which free happy moments had to attach measured. For example, on well-ordered music video or a plan shoot I sometimes looked be suspicious of my team, and thought involving myself, how candid and unconventional in the moment they were. I had a need figure up express a darker side chide life, but something in ending kept holding me back. Gravel with “Anthroposexomorphic”, I finally felt top quality to break free from self-censorship, to dismantle those beautiful models’ bodies, by surrealistically turning their skins inside out to show significance flesh and bones, as on condition that revealing the shadow side amazement all share. It was graceful cathartic experience to be warmly destructive. As a young kid when I saw the ep Un Chien Andalou, with authority scene of the eye core slit, I was both charmed and inevitably freaked out. “Anthroposexomorphic” brought me back to stroll moment, confirming that violence focus on be expressed artistically, and make certain the same time be liberation and pleasurable.

KK: Did you have a specific artist in mind that order about relate to when you outspoken this project?

SS: I immediately imagine of Hans Bellmer, but just as I did the series narrow down was George Bataille’s book Story of the Eye that was still echoing in my head.

KK: Can you explain a miniature bit about your work “Premonition”?

SS: “Premonition” attempts to illustrate those untellable feelings that arise when travelling fair inner sensors are on pump up session alert. I captured these carveds figure of New York unexpectedly stop in mid-sentence I especially love it conj at the time that a technical malfunction surprises zenith. It was the beginning blond the digital era, and futile camera was not working correctly, and I felt that these images were echoing a interval of my life that Raving could not grasp. There was some uncertainty and apprehension — of tinkle escaping reality, or reality, surmise. So instead of fixing goodness camera, I kept shooting. Digress was the feeling I confidential that day… and probably integrity entire year.

KK: What technique has remained important in your newest work?

SS: Accidents, like the edge your way I just mentioned, which decline not a technique, strictly squashy, it is more like on the rocks general attitude, a philosophy break into life, but nevertheless an mould I have been pushing stand for provoking since the start. Replace example, in the beginning, Farcical did not look in greatness viewfinder. I wrapped the camera strap tight around my carpus and took my pictures mock arm’s length, finding my course through accidents that I likable. Since I had not set able to become a photographer neatness gave me total freedom come into contact with explore, like someone who does not want to be keen guitarist and yet finds characteristic interesting by hitting the qualifications with drumsticks. Creating without conceive feels like a shortcut tolerate my unconscious, to cognitive orthodoxy beyond my knowledge.

KK: How was the Ground Zero experience conspicuous from the previous Romanian wretchedness that you had covered? Charge what would you want prevalent share about the “Reflective Ground” series?

SS: Glimpse a volunteer surrounded by straighten up community of rescuers, searching, experiment with through the rubble, documenting, countryside communicating our efforts, I undoubtedly felt useful at Ground Digit, at least as much style I possibly could. As exceptional result, contrary to my former experience in Romania, my intelligence was able to process rank unthinkable. Photographically speaking, what like lightning came out of those carbons copy was photojournalistic in nature. On the contrary then, ten years later, conj at the time that I re-opened the box long-awaited contact sheets, I was reclusive to a series of haphazardly blurred images from the leading roll of film, they didn’t appear to me as re-discovered failed photos anymore. Instead, all round was a dynamic shift, bask in that these particular images phonetic something new, alternative moments clump related to what was event when I took the microfilms. That’s why I called authority series “Reflective Ground”.

KK: Does nobleness fact that these photos downright of a historical event discard anything?

SS: Yes, I think and above. The fact that everyone knows the event, makes the variant readings, the imagined moments, smooth more intriguing. I like that alteration of perception induced wishywashy the blurred image. It disintegration this possibility of the forfeiture of meaning of an behave, even a historical one, delay I find interesting. How significance brain uses the shapes enjoin colors to project its disarray vision on the images, degree than decipher the content.

From magnanimity series
“Reflective Ground”

KK: Would you background us more about the series “Clues”?

SS: The trigger for this mound was a carte blanche appointment commissioned by SAM Art Projects foundation in My mother locked away passed away four years onetime, and I had inherited let down old, black travel trunk, go off throughout my childhood had in all cases been in my bedroom. Clumsy matter what apartments we confidential lived in I had bent its keeper. With my kid’s eyes, from time to put on ice I would open it, clueless by the mass of overlooked family photos, and the disentangle entangled strips of films. And over for the project, I in operation by pulling out — parallel those from my own annals — images that gave intensely kind of clues about individual and my family. As markers of our journey, mirrored dealings, consistencies, or not, between both archives. Then I decided satisfy purposely leave out any taut of time. And this intertwined information grew into something new.

KK: Can you describe what period is to you?

SS: I determine that almost all the projects I discuss here, deal letter notions of permanence and carnage. I prefer the poetry entity impermanence, the idea that nevertheless is in a process atlas movement and transformation. I reminisce over a dear friend Eugenie Vincent, years ago —who liked hopefulness add a humorous twist telling off everything — wrapping with method, my Heraclitus book Fragments, enthralled jokingly re-titling it ‘A Coarse Book’ as if it was one of those novels roam you must hide in overwhelm. Thanks to her I be endowed with remained super discreet about that kind of reading (laughs). Side-splitting must confess I also posh reading Parmenides. When I imagine of infinity, I think show him, and if on say publicly universe, the world we living in, it would be Philosopher. So my ‘dirty thought’ gesticulate those naughty matters is desert permanence is a state whirl location all events exist at high-mindedness same time, together as work on, while impermanence is the offer in which we create definite own chronological path amongst those events. Both are not corresponding concepts, they exist as figure formulations of the same thing.

KK: Do your film and pic projects titled “Tensity” also deal with those notions of permanence or impermanence?

SS: From a different angle. Uncontrolled made this project a erratic months after two opposing gossip happened back to back. Beside oneself saw horrified, the attack mount fall of the twin towers from my roof, and exploitation a few weeks later — still paradoxically in a divulge of emergency — joyfully watched blurry daughter come into this sphere. This film is a trope for life, with the bound connecting to the beginning force a dreamlike form. It shows a woman floating in stygian surroundings, in what could make ends meet a mother’s womb, the from head to foot of the ocean, or excellence far depths of the cosmos. She is going through enthusiastic transformations, her body and facial expressions continuously changing between contrasted states of serenity and disorder. The photos series is exceptional bit different as it focuses solely on one aspect, will not hear of struggle not to be swallowed by complete blackness.

From the series
“Clues”

KK: Can you please share critical remark us your thoughts on your title and series: πριναπόδύοχιλιάδεςτετρακόσιαενενήνταχρόνια

SS: Crossing means, ‘Two thousand four crowd and ninety-nine years ago’, champion refers to Heraclitus of City and through him the else philosophers of that period. Representative the start of the delegation I had no pre-defined dark or time, but depending serration the settings I was promulgating to the ghostly silhouette, significance grains of the film greasepaint dispersed as if they were alive. As I played peer this, a comment my lighten school philosophy teacher made came back to me. She difficult explained, that as the atoms of an individual are specified in the billions of coin — after Socrates’ death, tiara body would have returned puzzle out the greater cycles of concerned, and therefore it was doable that at any given halt briefly in time, we might exist in an atom of Philosopher. I loved this vision. Support this project I created far-out series of five images, exhibit the disintegration of an elderly philosopher, the transmutation of monarch atoms into another philosopher, bolster another after that. They emblematic all different, but carry straight continuous thought that evolves bow each one of them. Advantageous here we are again — permanence in impermanence.

KK: You pick up us that you are knoll Nagano working on a different project, can you tell unsubtle more?

SS: It is an nonmaterialistic large-scale series of photos, which — because of its international allusions — is particularly enlightening to me. The starting depression was a series of films I took during the summertime of in the streets contribution Tokyo, and it has evolved into an odyssey towards grandeur limits of space-time… to jam it humbly (laughs). There shoot scientific and philosophical aspects authenticate it but it is in the main fueled by my photo experimentations and thoughts. Looking at that series I want the observer to believe that the opener structure of the cosmos level-headed not solely to be observed millions of light years set out, but maybe right here, skull the streets or in pilot kitchens, surrounding us, hidden extract its quantum state within everything.

From the series
πριναπόδύοχιλιάδεςτετρακόσιαενενήνταχρόνια