Mathieu Pernot, Denis Darzacq Fall and Implosions
Fall and Implosions examines the tension between human actions and their surroundings by bringing together the work of two French photographers, Denis Darzacq and Mathieu Pernot. Each series–in its own way–suggests fragile relationships between humanity and the environment.
Darzacq’s work presents young dancers and athletes performing jumps. In each image, their movement is suspended in front of generic and urban French architectural backgrounds. Without special effects or digital manipulation, Darzacq captures delicate moments of tense levitation, where models seem to float in the air or plunge to the ground. Defying gravity, these young men and women invite the viewer to witness a fleeting moment.
Pernot’s images of buildings imploding show the destruction of apartment blocks in various French suburbs. These photographs are shot in black-and-white and taken at the exact moment when the explosives cause the buildings to collapse. This series reveals the vulnerability of architectural structures and the violent impact that human action can have in shaping urban environments. Emptied of any human presence, each image evokes the drama found within crumbling concrete blocks. Both artists use photography to portray fugitive instants, which act as metaphors, drawing attention to the precariousness of the human condition.
Curated by Gaëlle Morel. Darzacq is represented by Agence VU, Paris.
