Mister G.

ARTISTS

Gilbert Garcin

Gilbert Garcin

16.4 > 14.7.2016

For the first time in Rome and nine years after the only Italian exhibition (Milan, 2007), there comes the French photographer Gilbert Garcin, nicknamed Mister G., with a wide selection of images covering a time interval of about twenty years. The exhibition is curated by Paola Stacchini Cavazza at the Galleria del Cembalo in Rome, from April 16th to June 18th.
The shooting is realized in the studio, by means of small hand-cut cardboard outlines and an expert, as much as simple technique of lighting, obtaining images that lead us to face existential questions on the meaning of our living and the relationship with the world around us. Without complex and respectful at the same time, the author takes inspiration from the work of painters, illustrators and movie makers. In particular, Gilbert Garcin probably looked at Monsieur Hulot by Jacques Tati, when he initially gave life to his character, a simple anonymous man in his coat and hat, Mister G.

Yves Gerbal writes about him in the foreword of the book Faire de son mieux (Filigranes Éditions 2013): “It doesn’t happen everyday to see a man dedicating his life in selling light devices and then waiting for his retirement to concentrate on the art of light. And in the same way, it’s really unusual that a manager starts a new career in the artistic field, succeeding to go far beyond the level of an amateur”.
He loves to describe himself as “an old man who takes pictures”.

Gilbert Garcin was born in La Ciotat, close to Marseille, in 1929. After the degree in economics, he directed a company of import-export of light devices. Once retired, being 65 years old, he won a photographic price and therefore followed a workshop at the Rencontres d’Arles of that year, discovering the great potential of photomontage, which later will be the focus of his work.
He lives and works in Marseille, France.
In the last 15 years Gilbert Garcin published several books and participated to many exhibitions. Following his will of sharing his vision of life with everyone, his work was exposed worldwide and is present in many public and private collections, such as: Fonds national pour l’art Contemporain, France; Fonds Communal pour l’art Contemporain de Marseille, Marseille; Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris; Artothèque de Veendam, the Netherlands; Artothèque de Nantes, Nantes; Artothèque de Vitré, Vitré; Médiathèque de Miramas, Miramas; Fondation Regards de Provence, Marseille; Galerie du Château d’Eau, Toulouse; and the West Collection, Philadelphia.

http://www.gilbert-garcin.com/Italie.htm

Watch the video of Gilbert Garcin at work

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