Literally rendered, ‘In Utero’ means ‘in the uterus’, in the light of Emmanuelle Tricoire’s career and first London solo show at East Gallery, this is a doubly significant title.
The collection’s title casts a glance backwards, with the Nirvana reference hard to ignore when you learn Tricoire started out her career taking pictures for music magazines, documenting New York street life. But the collection’s title is also diffident, a concession to the evolutionary nature of her work. Far from embryonic, but self-consciously fragile and raw, Tricoire says the pieces come “from the guts”. After a year of not working , in January 2010 a determined and delineated new stage began. This new phase has culminated in the collection on show at East Gallery until April 5th, a series of large, unframed and predominantly black and white shots of individuals, a study of people but also of the self. At once this is a multi-faceted self portrait and an attempt to get closer to the people who she photographed.
FAD met with Emmanuelle Tricoire
How has it been exhibiting in London for the first time? Are there any marked differences from showing in Paris?
It has been great to be showing outside Paris for the first time. I didn’t have any network here in London, so it was a totally new territory. It has been great to see people’s reactions and to be able to interact with them. The people I have encountered have a quite different mentality from the French public. For example, I found that a lot of people in their 40s like my work here, and I have witnessed younger people find my work shocking which I would never have imagined before!
The photographs in this exhibition are all self-portraits taken over the course of a year – with the advantage of hindsight, are there any which you feel are more or less representative of your self?
All my work is about questioning myself, my feelings and insecurities. The people I choose to shoot are mostly people who I am attracted to, or that I am curious to meet, through photography I am able to raise some questions and I am able to meet people who I could not normally meet. The possibilities are endless.
In the collection I feel the most representative photograph would be the one of “Mathieu, le lion”, shirtless with tattoos. He is standing in the center of the frame, lost in the dark, a spotlight on him as if he is on stage for an audition. He is looking at us as judges; he is self conscious of his body, yet with self assurance.
What have you learnt in the process of taking them?
I have learnt how to get people to express what I want. I have learnt how to do away with the rules of framing, keeping to a simple square format. And through this, I have learnt how to shoot people more intimately.
Your shoot your photographs on film rather than digitally, what is it about analogue that appeals?
I was taught with films at school. I fell in love with a Mamyia 645 at that time and since have always stuck to medium format cameras. I haven’t found a digital medium format camera yet that is not too expensive and that has the viewfinder above. I have never shot with with a reflex 35mm, so I didn’t get the “digital reflex camera fever”
Why aren’t your pieces framed? Do you ever frame your work?
I wanted to show my work differently. Framing would have been more “classy” I admit, but I thought the installation would be more interesting without frames in this gallery space. Plus, there is no glass between the photographs and the eyes, which makes it more intimate
You used to shoot street photography, what has been the best and the most challenging aspects of your move to more static indoor shoots?
I now prefer face to face photo shoots. I have never enjoyed stealing a photograph. I like when the person I have in front of me is 100% willing to giving themself to me. I like to say that I get more “gifts” being indoors in a closed room.
There is one colour image amongst the black and white pieces, why?
During 2010, I shot a lot of B&W photos. Before that I used to shoot with colour films. In May 2010, I released the 1st “IN UTERO” booklet; then I started taking colours photos again. I like remarkable colours on people, it can be the eyes, hair, or clothes…I chose to show one colour portrait so as to tell people “yes I am shooting in colour, and this is what’s coming next.”
The images all seem to have stories to tell, yet there are no explanations of who the people are, or the situation, why?
I want to allow the viwer’s imagination grow. To explain the images and the stories would have prevented the viwer from fantasising about the stories. I hope people imagine strong stories about my characters, I want them to dream up the charcter.
Can you tell us a couple of the stories behind the images in the show?
I have the chance to see people react to my pictures during the show and there are a few of the subjects which they ask me about in particular. The one that is most often asked about is François Sagat, the gay porn star with the mask.
I met him several years ago; he is one of Thomas’ best friend (Thomas is the man in the single colour photograph). I have always wanted to shoot him and I finally got to do so last year. I was really lucky because he became more and more famous in the mainstream industry. We chose to shoot with the masks, because he has a “masked” universe. At the same time, I like to stay close to people’s personalities and is very nice and simple. These photographs he said are “just like him”.
Another photo would be my friend Thomas, the only colour photograph of the show. He is like my brother and the person I shoot the most even though he lives in NYC. I decided to shoot him with my lipstick on, because he loves to be ambiguous about his sexuality, he loves to confuse and provoke people. A lot of straight men are unnerved by this photo, even though I swear he is 1000% straight. But I find it very funny to see how some men react to this image.
I could talk about all my photographs; they all have a story!
If you weren’t an artist, what else would you be?
If I weren’t an artist, I would certainly be involved in psychology, or I would study linguistics, or anthropology, which I think I do in a certain way. I would be involved in social sciences somehow. Or I would work as a scout in model agencies, or as a casting director. I love watching at people’s features, bodies and styles. I am good at seeing the next face or next style.
Name 3 of your least favourite artists.
I don’t think it is a question of appreciation or not, but more of understanding. I don’t really get Jeff Koons for example. As for photography I don’t appreciate some styles, like blank landscapes, or sci-fi style, all digitally retouched.
Anytime, any place, which artists body would you most like to inhabit?
Harsh question. I would have loved to inhabit Richard Avedon’s eyes (easy one, he was the most successful living photographer) he was so self conscious about his own work. I would have loved to have Diane Arbus’ fear, which would force me to do what she accomplished.
What is the most intelligent thing that someone has said or written about your work?
That it totally reflects my personality, a recognition that I am not a serene person and my photos don’t invoke a serene feeling. I have been told that my photos are so simple that people can see a little bit of themselves in them and that you can see me in them.
And the dumbest?
Hmmm, let me think…that I could achieve the same quality with a digital camera…
What are the three big ideas that you would like your work to express?
The ones which immediately come to mind are that beauty can be simple and not retouched. That people can find themselves in a person who is ostensibly very different. And that nudity is not only a state of being naked.
How do you start the process of making work?
I don’t shoot for a while and then I am compelled to it, and the I shoot compulsively. I will start shooting a news series soon, but right now I have to show what I have, and there are so many images which I have to edit.
If Moma and the Tate and the Pompidou wanted to acquire one of your works each, which would you want them to have?
Please, cross your fingers for me! I have few that I am proud of.
I love the pictures of Thomas, it is so simple and natural but it works. I love how relaxed his figure is and the colours are perfect. Another picture that was not in the show is the one of Margaux. This piece is permanently exhibited at a bookstore/gallery called Ofr in Paris, it shows a vulnerable girl with a feather on her ribs. The natural light was beautiful for this one. I think the image of Malik represents my work well, I was drawn to how striking his eyes are. There is also the image of Jeff, the man with the butterfly tattoo, when I look at him I always see a skull but at the same time, all the details of his tattoos anf of his beard. The last photos I took are of Julia and her beautiful neck I think show the way which my work is evolving, I am increasinly attracted to bodies as shapes, I find her twisted and veined neck stunning, and I really like the contrast of the skin with the black background.
What is your favourite cheese?
A good Mozarella cheese, without anything on it
What’s next for you?
I would like to tour In Utero, taking it to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Mumbai and NYC. And I am going back to shoot as I have few series to continue,the one I am most keen continue is a series I have been working on shooting transgender and androgynous people and I really want to explore this further. I would also like to release more books, have fun with new editions with my friend Elise De Terlikowski.
Thanks to Zeyna Sy for curating the show at the East Gallery in London, and Julie Herbel who was behind the concept and the selection of the show.
http://eastgallery.co.uk/
http://emmanuelletricoire.com
