REACHING FOR DAWN - Elliott Verdier
REACHING FOR DAWN - ELLIOTT VERDIER
16.03.2023 - 20.05.2023
OPENING 03/16/2023 / 6 - 9 pm
The Echo 119 gallery is pleased to present for the first time on its walls in Paris Reaching for Dawn , a solo exhibition by Elliott Verdier.
Reaching for Dawn is an exploration of Liberian memory, its silences and its forgetfulness by the young French photographer. Elliott Verdier offers us with this series a personal look at the gray areas of Liberia's history - in particular, the civil war that ravaged the country between 1989 and 2003 - as well as the resilience of its inhabitants.
The war is not talked about. No real memorial has been built, no day is dedicated to commemoration. Executioners and victims are still face to face without any attempt at national reconciliation. The trauma etched in the flesh of the population is crystallized in the weak foundations of society and bleeds onto a new generation with an uncertain future.
From his first trip, Elliott Verdier did not bring back any images; going to meet the inhabitants – all the inhabitants –, he immersed himself in the history of the country, its atmosphere, its stories and recorded testimonies.
Subsequently, accompanied by his photographic chamber which requires building a real collaboration with the subjects photographed, he establishes the necessity of dialogue at the very heart of the creation of the image. He thus delicately confirms the documentary intention of relaying those who do not speak and who have nevertheless agreed to confide in him.
It is these stories that lead Elliott Verdier to create a visual dialogue between color images and black and white images. This exchange reflects the violence of the paradox that underlies both the founding of Liberia and the daily reality of its inhabitants: while during the day, resilience and hope for a better future seem to animate the country, at night silence, absence and the ghosts of war resurface, haunting the nightmares of Liberians. The result is an admirable work of symbolism and meaning whose poetry is on a par with the complexity of the story.
With Reaching for Dawn , Elliott Verdier questions, records, photographs… in a word, documents, in the noblest sense of the term, the painful healing of a country.
The war is not talked about. No real memorial has been built, no day is dedicated to commemoration. Executioners and victims are still face to face without any attempt at national reconciliation. The trauma etched in the flesh of the population is crystallized in the weak foundations of society and bleeds onto a new generation with an uncertain future.
From his first trip, Elliott Verdier did not bring back any images; going to meet the inhabitants – all the inhabitants –, he immersed himself in the history of the country, its atmosphere, its stories and recorded testimonies.
Subsequently, accompanied by his photographic chamber which requires building a real collaboration with the subjects photographed, he establishes the necessity of dialogue at the very heart of the creation of the image. He thus delicately confirms the documentary intention of relaying those who do not speak and who have nevertheless agreed to confide in him.
It is these stories that lead Elliott Verdier to create a visual dialogue between color images and black and white images. This exchange reflects the violence of the paradox that underlies both the founding of Liberia and the daily reality of its inhabitants: while during the day, resilience and hope for a better future seem to animate the country, at night silence, absence and the ghosts of war resurface, haunting the nightmares of Liberians. The result is an admirable work of symbolism and meaning whose poetry is on a par with the complexity of the story.
With Reaching for Dawn , Elliott Verdier questions, records, photographs… in a word, documents, in the noblest sense of the term, the painful healing of a country.
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Galerie Écho 119 is pleased to present for the first time in Paris Reaching for Dawn , a solo exhibition by Elliott Verdier.
Reaching for Dawn is an exploration of Liberian memory, of its silences and forgetfulness by the young French photographer. With this series, Elliott Verdier offers us a personal look at the shadowy areas of Liberian history - in particular, the civil war that ravaged the country between 1989 and 2003 - as well as at the resilience of its inhabitants.
There is no mention of the war. No real memorial has been built, no day is devoted to commemoration. Executioners and victims still face each other without any attempt at national reconciliation. The trauma engraved in the flesh of the population is crystallized in the weak foundations of society and bleeds onto a new generation with an uncertain future.
Elliott Verdier did not bring back any images from his first trip; he went to meet the people - all of them - and soaked up the country's history, atmosphere and stories and recorded testimonies.
Accompanied by his camera, which requires a real collaboration with the subjects photographed, he establishes the need for dialogue at the very heart of the creation of the image. In this way, he delicately confirms his documentary intention to act as a relay for those who do not speak and who have nevertheless agreed to confide in him.
It is these stories that lead Elliott Verdier to create a visual dialogue between color images and others in black and white. This exchange translates the violence of the paradox that underlies both the founding of Liberia and the daily reality of its inhabitants: while during the day, resilience and hope for a better future seem to animate the country, at night silence, absence and the ghosts of war resurfaces, haunting the nightmares of Liberians. The result is an admirable work of symbolism and meaning whose poetry is equal to the complexity of the story.
With Reaching for Dawn , Elliott Verdier questions, records, photographs... in a word, documents, in the sense that he is not only a photographer, but also an artist.
Reaching for Dawn is an exploration of Liberian memory, of its silences and forgetfulness by the young French photographer. With this series, Elliott Verdier offers us a personal look at the shadowy areas of Liberian history - in particular, the civil war that ravaged the country between 1989 and 2003 - as well as at the resilience of its inhabitants.
There is no mention of the war. No real memorial has been built, no day is devoted to commemoration. Executioners and victims still face each other without any attempt at national reconciliation. The trauma engraved in the flesh of the population is crystallized in the weak foundations of society and bleeds onto a new generation with an uncertain future.
Elliott Verdier did not bring back any images from his first trip; he went to meet the people - all of them - and soaked up the country's history, atmosphere and stories and recorded testimonies.
Accompanied by his camera, which requires a real collaboration with the subjects photographed, he establishes the need for dialogue at the very heart of the creation of the image. In this way, he delicately confirms his documentary intention to act as a relay for those who do not speak and who have nevertheless agreed to confide in him.
It is these stories that lead Elliott Verdier to create a visual dialogue between color images and others in black and white. This exchange translates the violence of the paradox that underlies both the founding of Liberia and the daily reality of its inhabitants: while during the day, resilience and hope for a better future seem to animate the country, at night silence, absence and the ghosts of war resurfaces, haunting the nightmares of Liberians. The result is an admirable work of symbolism and meaning whose poetry is equal to the complexity of the story.
With Reaching for Dawn , Elliott Verdier questions, records, photographs... in a word, documents, in the sense that he is not only a photographer, but also an artist.