BMW's l’autre rive exhibition by emeric lhuisset reflects on war + refugees at paris photo

during the 2019 paris photo fair, BMW presents l’autre rive (the other shore), an exhibition by emeric lhuisset, who continues his reflection on refugees with a new series of haunting photographs. winner of the 2018 BMW residency at the gobelins school of visual arts, the french photographer examines the western world’s perception of individuals he met in iraq or in syria, who today have become refugees. at the fair, lhuisset presents images from his series théâtre de guerre (theater of war), in which he invited kurdish combatants to replay their reality in dramatizations that resemble classical paintings.

designboom visited BMW’s ‘l’autre rive’ exhibition at the paris photo fair.

images courtesy of BMW unless otherwise stated

taking place from 7 to 10 november, 2019, this year marks the 23rd edition of paris photo, the largest international art fair dedicated to the photographic medium which is held at the historic grand palais in the french capital. an official partner of the fair since 2003, BMW displays l’autre rive by emeric lhuisset this year, with a choice of images and scenography proposed by the photographer, under the artistic direction of françois cheval. following images from his series théâtre de guerre, which see kurdish combatants reenacting their reality in dramatizations referencing classical paintings, a series of cyanotypes show these same women and men, a few years later as refugees after having crossed the sea in search of a better life.

during his BMW residency, lhuisset was able to experiment with and improve on different technical processes, choosing to use an old printing process: cyanotype, in particular for its blue rendering –the color of the sea where so many vanish, but also the blue of europe. ‘the world is never seen as it truly is,’ notes françois cheval, artistic director of the BMW residency, on l’autre rive. ‘this makes the photographic act the most common of illusions. that which common mortals do not know is included in the rules that we accept unanimously on a daily basis. in contrast, for those who make photography their profession, by vocation, the time that it provides and the means that it grants, besides any commercial or institutional determination, constitute the rare substrate necessary for creativity.’

in the exhibition, the public will also have a chance to see a video produced by clothilde royer, who followed emeric lhuisset during the creation and production of his work, within the framework of the means of transmission jointly decided by BMW and gobelins. the hahnemühle paper mill, founded in 1584, which produces artist’s papers for traditional art techniques and fine art papers, is a partner of the BMW residency for this project. hahnemühle, allowed lhuisset to carry out research and experiments on its papers including the production of the cyanotype prints of this exhibition, on hahnemühle 600g 100% cotton leonardo satin grain paper. during the exhibition, british photographer lewis bush, the ninth winner, who entered into residency at the beginning of october 2019, will present the first images of his work in progress at gobelins.