About the artwork
Ruins are the favorite subjects of photographer Thomas Jorion, whose exploration led him to highlight a former Communist Party auditorium, the Bouzloudja monument, perched on a small hill south of Gabrovo in Bulgaria. Designed by architect Guéorguy Stoilovet, this building is richly decorated with murals, where the portraits of Marx, Engels and Lenin remain identifiable in the center, surrounded by mosaics illustrating battle scenes. The snow, delicately deposited on the remains, lends the scene a silent, meditative atmosphere. The selection of locations, the rejection of the use of artificial lighting and the acceptance of chance in the discovery of volumes and natural light constitute his approach. For the construction of his visual narrative and lighting ambiances, he claims a cinematic influence, notably that of science-fiction films such as Blade Runner. Using a large-format camera, an instrument he has been using since 2009, Jorion establishes an intimate connection with the site.
Expert opinion
This photograph by Thomas Jorion occupies a central position in the artist's output. Indeed, it was chosen by him to adorn the cover of his book Silencio.
About the artist
French photographer born in 1976. Lives and works in Paris. Self-taught, he travels the world capturing ruins and neglected places with a large-format 4x5 analog camera. Through his work, the artist expresses the passing of time beyond our control. He also questions materiality by focusing on buildings, stripped of their primary function and lustre, but whose apparent obsolescence provides a new aesthetic appeal, a certain renaissance. Thomas Jorion is represented by the Esther Woerdehoff and Insula galleries in Paris.
“Discovering an auditorium is always an intense experience. Even when abandoned, this kind of venue retains a certain majesty, a haunting moment of silence after the last show.”
Additional info
Framed
Proof of authenticity
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