This Thursday, September 7th, the opening of two new exhibitions at the Depardieu Gallery took place in the presence of the artists.
The Depardieu Gallery will host until October 21, 2023, Broken Shadow by artist Øyvind Hjelmen. Additionally, Space Below, an exhibition by artist Helén Petersen, will be available until October 14, 2023.
Broken Shadow by Øyvind Hjelmen: because darkness reveals the light
Øyvind Hjelmen has been developing his photography skills for over thirty years on the Norwegian island of Stord. Located south of Bergen, this island holds magnificent landscapes typical of Norway. This photographer’s work is imbued with a poetic dimension, always seeking to show the passage of time, often in an enigmatic manner. The artist has, therefore, chosen not to include explanatory signs beneath his photos. He explains that, for him, the relationship with art is personal. Each individual interprets a work differently. Thus, adding an explanatory sign would impair this interpretive ability.
The Broken Shadow exhibition consists of multiple fragments of memories. Comparable to a sort of memory mosaic, a certain harmony emanates from this exhibition. These chiaroscuro photographs symbolize our ambivalent relationship with time. Time is undoubtedly the leitmotif of Øyvind Hjelmen‘s works.
The artist stressed his desire to capture “the present moment.” He does not completely reject staged photographs but confides his preference for those taken spontaneously. Thus, with his small square-format film camera, he enjoys wandering and capturing what moves him. Finally, Øyvind Hjelmen‘s work is characterized by a gentle nostalgic vision of the world around us.
Space Below by Helén Petersen or how to highlight the beauty of the minuscule?
Located in the basement, the Space Below exhibition highlights the minuscule. Originally from Norway, Helén Petersen began photography in 2003. Various works were commissioned from her by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research. Consequently, she worked as a field photographer from 2006 to 2010.
Fascinated by the marine environment, Helén Petersen wished to emphasize the beauty of plankton. With no scientific pretension to her work, she instead aimed to present “plankton” artistically. As the starting point of the food chain, Helén Petersen desires to pique the curiosity of viewers. Having the necessary equipment, she collects plankton samples from the sea herself. Her microscope is equipped with a camera, allowing her to photograph the plankton directly. After slight touch-ups on the computer, Helén Petersen completes her work when she considers she has fully revealed the beauty of the plankton.
Moreover, it is no coincidence that the artist chose plankton. As the foundation of everything, she sought to remind us of the necessity to protect and preserve this organism by revealing its beauty. Additionally, as the starting point of the food chain, Helén Petersen aims to ignite curiosity in viewers with these relatively implicit photographs. Furthermore, she notes that throughout these years of work, she has been able to observe various environmental degradations. The Space Below exhibition is thus accompanied by an ecological dimension.
Practical Information
- 6 rue du docteur Jacques Guidoni 06000 Nice – France
- Tel +33 (0) 966 890 274
- galerie.depardieu@orange.fr
