The exhibition Ici, le temps s’étire (here, where time stretches) features three photographers whose work revolves around the concept of time. Presenting new prints by Hans Bol and introducing two new artists — Victoire Eouzan and Alexander Sporre. Together they offer a kaleidoscopic view onto a feature which regulates, paces, and constructs our lives.

Hans Bol — White Crow

Hans Bol is deeply fascinated by the passing and recording of time. In his work, it is birds that embody this; on their way to their unknown destinations, they fly upwards mirroring life’s fleeting passing. Bol is recognised for his depiction of birds as messengers of eternity. The crow, one of Bol’s favorite species, is also a metaphor for something rather universal. Not only death, an interpretation that dates back to pagan times, but also an omen of happiness according to some cultures and mythologies. In his most recent series, Bol uses platinum printing, an old one-of-a-kind process that results in warm-toned and slightly velvety prints. Platinum prints are known for long-lasting durability and color fastness and thus reflect the photographer’s aim to capture the eternal and timeless.

Hans Bol (1957) is a Dutch photographer. A consistent, analogue approach to image and printmaking is what characterises his photographic expression. Being mainly self-educated in photography, Bol has been the printer of the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam for more than 20 years. Previous exhibition venues include FOAM, Fotomuseum Den Haag, Museum Beelden aan Zee, Unseen and Haute Photographie. In 2020, Bol’s oeuvre was on view at a group show at Museum IJsselstein. His work is included in the collections of such museums as Rijksmuseum, Fotomuseum Den Haag, Het Nederlands Fotomuseum, Museum Beelden aan Zee and Fotomuseum Antwerpen.

Alexander Sporre — Parallel Universes of the Self

Another angle on the subject is offered by Alexander Sporre who sees his photography as a by-product of a metaphysical search for reality. His work addresses the philosophical — and often poetic —  illusion of a knowable and rational self. In photography, he operates on the border of fiction and non-fiction. Sporre investigates reality not as experienced through our senses, but as that which transcends matter;  a world of timeless and everlasting ideas and forms. Alexander Sporre uses (un)conventional photography techniques – combining both analogue and digital methods — to abstract the known reality as much as possible, and to create an entirely new vision. “I try to avoid connecting words or themes to my photography, as it’s in the intangibility of the photograph where words are made redundant,” says Alexander.

Alexander Sporre (1988) is a Dutch photographer, whose work addresses philosophical dimensions. He turns his lens towards his direct surroundings in an effort to see beyond the veil of tangible reality and rational self. Sporre has graduated from the Photo Academy Amsterdam in 2017. He was awarded the New Dutch Talent 2017 by GUP and Haute Talent 2018. His work was shown in the Netherlands and internationally — in Japan and Switzerland. Exhibition venues include Museum Hilversum, Foam Editions Gallery, Unseen and Haute Photographie.

Victoire Eouzan — Cette Vue Que Je N’aurai Plus

Finally, Victoire Eouzan’s work revolves around the question of how can time be experienced in all of its volatility and elasticity? Can we extend it, not let it suddenly slip through our fingers? In her latest series, Eouzan turns her lens towards her relationship to time and, especially, to the present. This is manifested in the sites and places she visits, those that incite her to contemplate. She always maintains a physical connection with these places and travels to the sea, or hikes through the mountains. This physical investigation forces her into an encounter with the space and its activities; here, she grapples with the present moment. In her artistic practice, Eouzan combines techniques from different fields, such as mixing old photographic or printing techniques with new technologies. By placing texts over the images, a technique employed for the presented series, the artist establishes a dialogue between the mental picture created by the text and the actual printed image. With this, she investigates what images suggest and what emotions they trigger.

Victoire Eouzan (1992) is a French photographer based in Amsterdam, working between Amsterdam and Marseille. She has graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam (2019) and the Arts Décoratifs in Paris (2020), obtaining a double degree. Victoire Eouzan was selected as Haute Talent 2020, which included a presentation at the Haute Photographie Fair in Rotterdam in February 2020. The same year, she was awarded Fresh Eyes Talent and GUP New TaIent awards. In 2017, she was chosen for European Photography Awards. Eouzan’s work has been exhibited in the Netherlands, France, and Italy.

Photo announcement: Hans Bol