Conversations, Vol. 2
Rémi Coignet
The book as an essential
form of creation
In recent years, the photography book has achieved unprecedented artistic recognition, but we still hear too little of the photographers talk about their work. They have a lot to say. Rémi Coignet went to meet them and realized that each of them considers the book as an essential form of his work.
Photographers, publishers or graphic designers are invited to revisit their work and reveal their intentions. In the course of the interviews, a geography of contemporary photography is sketched in the continuity of the first volume, Conversations, published in 2014.
Conversations with :
DANIEL BLAUFUKS
BROOMBERG & CHANARIN
PATRICK FAIGENBAUM
JOAN FONTCUBERTA
KLARA KÄLLSTRÖM & THOBIAS FÄLDT
ERIK KESSELS
ARON MÖREL
AKIO NAGASAWA
GREGER ULF NILSON
MARTIN PARR
CHRISTIAN PATTERSON
LISE SARFATI
STÉPHANIE SOLINAS
ALEC SOTH
GERHARD STEIDL
ERIC TABUCHI
BERTIEN VAN MANEN
MARIKEN WESSELS
forwOrd
Conversations was released in 2014. The underlying premise was that while we, critics, journalists and curators, are many to discuss the work of photographers, their own voices are seldom heard.
The purpose remains unchanged with this second volume: To give voice to the photographers and listen to what they can tell us about their work through their books.
Why books? Because they are works in themselves, easily accessible. They imply seriality, a form that is more complex and significant than the single image; more stable and durable than the exhibition. And because they offer perspective on the evolution of a career.
To give an outline of a geography of contemporary photography. Any human activity involves significant interactions, even if we are not necessarily aware of them. For example, I met JH Engström and Anders Petersen for the first volume. The former is a friend, and was the assistant of the latter. For this second volume, I met Thobias Fäldt, Gerhard Steidl and Greger Ulf Nilson. Fäldt published with Steidl a book conceived by Nilson. Both Engström and Petersen have also worked with this publisher and the graphic designer. It seemed relevant to lay out these connections and question these artists about their relationships with each other. To maintain a long-time dialogue with the artists. As with JH Engström and Rob Hornstra in the first volume, I pursued conversations started a few years ago with Daniel Blaufuks, Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin. The one-hour-long interviews are usually face-to-face, and the viewpoint is that of the authors on their work at a given time. However, some of these interviews were conducted via Skype for practical reasons. While it may not be as warm as a physical meeting, it allows them to be in their comfort zone, generally their studio, which is conducive to confidence and reflection. Acknowledging the privilege of meeting these authors, publishers and graphic designers, I chose to transcribe our conversations as faithfully as possible to each oral style so that the reader feels closer to us and our conversation.Finally, I am asked sometimes how I select my partners in conversation: it would be an understatement to say that I appreciate their work