Harry Gruyaert: Between Worlds

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As a reviewer, it is hard to write anything not already said more eloquently in David Campany’s excellent essay. Rarely has the marriage of written word and expansive visual risk-taking been so satisfying. Between Worldsis thus best enjoyed by embracing his excitement for the power of color, shape, timing, discovery. Through Gruyaert’s eyes, and the brilliant editing of Between Worlds, we seek not answers to what we are looking at. Rather, we delight in being presented with intriguing and playful questions. Legacy and Influence Harry Gruyaert's groundbreaking approach to color photography has left a lasting impact on the world of street photography. His work has inspired countless photographers to embrace color as an essential element of their visual language, rather than merely a decorative aspect. Photographers like Bieke Depoorter and Martin Parr have also made significant contributions to the world of color photography, capturing the vibrancy and richness of life through their lenses.

Gruyaert is an intuitive photographer, wandering and shooting without destination nor preconceived idea, except for his focus on composition, color and light. Unconsciously there are, however, certain motifs that often recur in his work. ‘Threshold images’, shot in front of or behind an obstruction, is one of those recurring themes. The majority of the photographs on view are taken through a window, in which Gruyaert points his lens both on what he saw behind the glass and on the reflection of what is happening in front of it. Other images were taken from behind a doorway, screen or mirror or show obstructions that cut through the composition and clever see- throughs to another visual plan, where different scenes take place. A striking example of the latter is a photo of an empty room in Mali. The tranquility of this space contrasts with the busy outside world we catch a glimpse of through the window central in the composition. This picture in a picture adds drama to this everyday scene. Color and movement. These are staples for any good photographer, but they are also what can make an artist unique. Post script: In doing research for this review, I stumbled upon an excellent documentary HARRY GRUYAERT: Photographer. This 65 minute film by Jurgen Buedts can be rented on Vimeo, and is an excellent overview of Gruyaert’s life and his work. This book from award-winning Magnum photographer Harry Gruyaert collects his most cinematic images to date.Harry Gruyaert est un photographe intuitif, prenant des photos en flânant sans destination ni idée préconçue, si ce n'est son intérêt pour la composition, la couleur et la lumière. It’s a bit like the recent movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once. Of course, the plot lines are not the same. But the idea of holding multiple levels of now as being simultaneously present is fascinating and maddening and finally deeply rewarding in a way that is impossible to reduce to a single topic or thesis statement. Gruyaert’s play with illusion and perception throws the viewer off balance. The depicted obstructions create distance between the viewer and what is being photographed. They generate awareness - much more than in Gruyaert’s other work - of the presence and position of the photographer. The latter is present, but never really seems to belong in the place he photographs and - consciously or unconsciously - takes on the position of an outsider. Although Gruyaert always states that he simply records what he sees - without any autobiographical or subjective motive - these images might reveal an insight in the psychology of the artist. According to Campany these photographs may be understood as “metaphors for Gruyaert’s passing through, for his being in a constant state of transition.” “Threshold images are a perfect means of expressing and contemplating that feeling of belonging to different registers of experience, and to nowhere in particular,” the writer states. They are therefore always self-conscious and reflective images, also in the case of Harry Gruyaert.

from his own archives, Gruyaert has recently started to produce short films made from still photographs with Gruyaert's focus on the interplay between people and their environments has also influenced a new generation of street photographers, who seek to tell stories not only through human interactions but also through the context in which they take place. Photographers such as Dotan Saguy and Jonas Bendiksen have followed in Gruyaert's footsteps, exploring the connections between people, culture, and urban landscapes in their work. A master of color-saturated atmospheres, Harry Gruyaert has roamed the world searching for the perfect light for more than forty years. His intuitive and physical relationship to places immerses the spectator in a world that borrows from the cinematic universe and from that of the painter. Harry Gruyaert is known for his preference for small, unobtrusive cameras that allow him to blend into his surroundings and capture candid moments. Some of the gear he has used throughout his career includes:is furthermore an illustration of how Gruyaert plays with juxtaposing different realities and dimensions of human Hudson (English) and Atelier Xavier Barral (French) - Gruyaert presents a selection of images from his diverse