Philippe Wittenbergh [ images ] – 1

Les Errances

La suite d’images photographiques « Errances à l’ombre de la lune » est un projet documentaire, et récit de voyage, ou plutôt, d’expériences de voyage. L’on y parle de jardins, de rencontres, de portes entre-ouvertes. On part à la recherche de là–bas, quelque part – site indéfini, différent et pourtant tellement similaire. Mais on ne sait pas trop si l’on est dedans ou dehors; l’on hésite un peu pour définir la rencontre. Et puis, aussi, l’on sait que, après, demain, plus tard, on reprendra la route. Le voyageur (l’artiste, le récitant) est, en entrant un moment dans un fragment de culture, et continue. Il s’opère pourtant un glissement dans l’image, son récit. Sous l’ombre de la lune se reflète quelque autre élément, invisible et pourtant tellement important.

The series of images “Wandering in the shadow of the moon” is a documentary project, and a travel story, or rather a story of travel experiences. One talks about gardens, encounters half-open doors. One goes looking for over there, somewhere - an undefined place, different and yet so similar. It is not clear, however if one is “inside” or “outside”; there are doubts about describing the encounter. And then, also, one knows that tomorow, later on, one will go back on the road. The traveller (the artist, the storyteller) is, by entering in a fragment of culture, and goes on. Nevertheless, something slides, moves in the image, his (her) story. Under the shadow of the moon one can see the reflection of some other element, invisible and yet so important.

Philippe Wittenbergh, dec. 1997

Paysages (landscapes)

Errances… Traveling through a world filled with life, some silent melody humming in the background, cries jump out of images. “Errances à l’ombre de la lune” (wandering in the shadow of the moon) is a series of photographic images about traveling. But no fancy landscapes or buildings will ever show up. Instead there are dried flowers, the shadow of a base, mirrors, shattered glass, hair, remnants of human activity, drips of water, sand, …light. At the origin of the images, at the onset of the journey where the images bring us or maybe where the images were born, there is an encounter and there is an uneasiness. There is an attempt to discover. Something slides, moves into the image, its story. Under the shadow of the moon one can see the reflection of some other element, invisible and yet so important.

But it is the light (as it is in all my work) that attempts to tell the story. Rhythms born out of light and shadow (light not seen for its luminosity, but its love relation with dimness), a rainbow reflecting a hidden melody. Light creates, by its absence and its suggestion, and embodies (mirrors). The image is then the result of the effects of light on the sensitivity of the poet. Torments are reflected in the smooth surface of a pond, in the darkness of an autumn night. “Errances” are fragments of memories and reflections. The images are a traveling within the invisible dimensions of encounters, a dialogue into the possibilities of being.

Wandering through seemingly undefined spaces of light, going somewhere, over there (la-bàs). “Errances” is a labyrinth of images through which the artist, and the spectator, move back and forth, discovering, opening spaces deeper under the emptiness of the theater of reality. Specifically, the five images here presented explore, in their abstract poetry, the silence of the limits of dreams: the frontiers of a huge expanse of water submerging the end of a road, but also all the expectations of a long night. And questioning the dreams.

Philippe Wittenbergh, october 1999