refreshed www.gbenard.com with new works
an Interview with G.Benard
Q - Hamlet suggests that theatre should hold "the mirror up to nature." Your photographs hold a mirror up to your nature, but what is it about yourself that wish to show us?
A - i'm glad you brought Hamlet, acting and mirrors. In fact I don't do self-portraits, I use the photography as a stage using my own body as a way to represent concepts. Acting to represent my inner worries, inner wonders, inner worlds. Worries, Wonders and Worlds of sexuality, cultures, nature, irony, childhood memories and surrounded society. In this way, a mirror is not just a plain crystal, as the viewer needs to go beyond the shown physical to get what's in: to get, to laugh, to be teased, to feel, to think, to wonder... as I do with myself. And at the end, maybe you'll not see me... you will see yourself in my self portraits.
Q - "G.Benard + Camera = G.Benard + Paintbrush? Are these two equations worlds apart?"
A - Camera, paintbrush and pen... they belong to the same world, however they fill and feed different sub-worlds. Writing, painting, drawing or doing photography are all of them ways of expression but also the most honest and deep inner needs. As humans we all need to eat, drink and breath, different ways to feed the same world. As someone who needs to express daily, I take the best way to do it at the moment for that specific need... as if when I'm thirsty I'll not eat, I'll drink. Photography feeds my inner at the specific moment, what I feel exactly when I'm doing it. There's no previous sketch or thought. Painting has been more connected with past and lost memoires, they are sketched. Writing is more about divagations and "lost in thoughts" moments, it's timeless. As you can see, there are more than 2 sub-worlds in a self: several in fact that needs to be fed. But they are all just a question of self-expressing.
Q - Although sometimes I can see humor used in your work, for the most part they seem dark and angry. Is this how you see yourself- or the world?
A - Most of my self-portraits are done in the lapse of time between morning awakening and breakfast/shower, when the conscious is not yet filtering emotions or feelings. My mornings are never humorous and sometimes minded-painful: the morning lights, sounds, coffee out of the mug, peeing out, "breaking-toes-feeling" when frozen in the winter. Early morning photography is quite honest, no face expression and no fake ones. So photography comes like dreams, a need of freeing our worries, wonders and worlds.
The humorous ones, most surreal and often ironic, are also an honest need, but this time with more awakened mind, more thoughtful.
However, the poetic ones, the ones with nature are probably the most skin-sensitive... our natural sensuality within.
Both can be taken as therapy, teasing with my own self... masking a deep tease with the world itself. So maybe, the darker ones are done are reading the morning newspapers with the world's news...
you can read the whole interview at www.gbenard.com
Hair'em Scare'em, by Gestalten
GBènard featured in the new book published by Gestalten, Germany, called "Hair'em Scare'em", with some of his photographic works. Hair'em Scare'em, by Gestalten Editors: R. Klanten, M. Huebner, S. Ehmann Language: English Release: October 2009 Format: 24 x 28 cm Features: 224 pages, full colour, softcover ISBN: 978-3-89955-275-1
"Hair'em Scare'em presents an extraordinary exploration through the fascinating beauty and inventive possibilities of hair as a medium for artistic expression in contemporary art and design. The book documents this palpable trend into a visual sourcebook that presents a captivating collection of hairy works in graphic design, photography, illustration and art as well as interior design, fashion and jewelry design. The extraordinary works featured in this book are the best indication of trends in hair outside the mainstream."
A Vulture's Dance
A Vulture's Flight Dance
assume it: we all have a dark side which always want to fly high. like a vulture. a crow. the ancient rituals and specially rites in all the cultures of the world recreated somehow the dark flights of these black birds with special meanings. some as exorcism. some others as calling or preys. pagan or religious, human or spiritual. black birds flights always had imposed some human fascination. symbol of death for many cultures because their behaviour. dreaming with crows use to symbolise that death is coming. a vulture's flight over death fields is an intense mix of beauty and of fear. if exorcism, we want that black bird will fly away, and this is most used in rites: let it go, free and dare your own. with respect.
www.gbenard.com
For The Love, by Shirin Winiger
Infectious times are about to come! Shirin & 8oinks.com presents For the Love. An exclusive swine flu mask encrusted with 681 flawless diamonds - For the total illusion of safety.
A unique collectors survival art piece. Infectious. By Shirin Winiger
and Shirin too:
The Day I Met the Lost Gods in a Psychiatric Ward
models: Anna Tanaka, Justin Bautista, Dave Nelson
make up: Georgina Shaw
www.gbenard.com
www.gbenard.com
when the night gets tough...
the morning can get cloudy.
new layout: www.gbenard.com
Chris & Tibor by Kai Z Feng
Chris & Tibor by Kai Z Feng Backstage 2, originally uploaded by Kai Z Feng Blog.
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