Elina Brotherus Talk from OCA 2015 – video

Notes from video:

  • Finnish photographer, did degree in Helsinki, just finishing an MA when she found residency in France, learnt English, Swedish, and German in school, but not French.
  • Only had summer to learn to speak French, but was barely able to present herself and buy a coffee when she arrived in France.
  • Recommended, ‘post it note’ method of learning the idea. 
  • First time she had been treated as an artist, shaped her career.
  • La Reflet – post it note exactly on the face, was a pleasing accident as was taken on analogue photography
  • Bed for dreaming and moments of tenderness. Evolved into her own feelings or questions to herself.
  • 1999 and 2011-2013 same place,
  • Write a position statement – where are you right now at this time in your life!
  • French Quote – “life is a long quiet river” – Brotherus challenges this in her image
  • Art references on how to present a human in a landscape.
  • Dane vander haden – photo books,
  • Stanley Green black passport (worth a read)
  • Likes to take her time to detach herself from her work for 6 months. Sees it more objectively. can make connections better once had time to think
Le Nez de Monsieur Cheval (1999) –
  • Lady in the water, (L’Etang) – important that the viewer can see that the model is also the author, cable release shown in the water
  • “To lift the cat on the table” (raise issues that people don’t talk about)
  • Ok to mix photos from different eras, especially about one’s self, compare and contrast different points in your life.
  • Better to work more and think afterwards

Reflection

An engaging talk with Brotherus, it was difficult to hear the questions of the audience, however her responses were clear and articulate.

When asked if taking these images was cathartic for her, she replied that she didn’t believe in Catharism, however it does appear that she uses her art to explore the difficult things she has experienced throughout her life.

Having heard her talk about her work, it makes it more interesting. She really gets over her emotions in the images. I was struck by her comments about studying art history and where to place humans in an image. This is something I’d like to explore further. In her work SEBALDIANA. MEMENTO MORI (2019) she contemplates the loss of her parents at an early age, using her favourite author and the island of Corsica which he wrote about. I found this a very moving series, again placing herself in the image very carefully.

In article in collectors agenda, (Toth) she talks about how much research she has done, and also likes to work with artists. She definitely sees herself as an artist using the photograph to “do the drawing for her”, rather than a photographer.

Mirrors and water are constant elements of her work.

Top Takeaways:

  • Take your take time to create and understand your work before presenting it
  • ensure the viewer knows that you are the model and the author
  • study the placement of people in art

References:

http://www.elinabrotherus.com/photography#/12-ans-apres/ [accessed 6th Feb 2021]

http://www.elinabrotherus.com/ [accessed 6th Feb 2021]

http://weareoca.com/photography/elina-brotherus-student-talk/ [accessed 6th Feb 2021]

https://www.collectorsagenda.com/in-the-studio/elina-brotherus