Philippe Herbet “Made in Belarus”
Lively and complex, the work of Philippe Herbet is the fruit of a quest begun long ago by this artist from Liège. He unveils his colour photographs here, which were taken in Belarus. With its poetic and elegant form, his work immerses us in his journeys filled with beautiful objects, unusual monuments, and strange and disturbing women. Inspired by both literature and photography, he pairs his photographs with texts from his postcards.
Inspired by both literature and images, Philippe Herbet sometimes pairs his photographs with texts from his postcards. 7Photographs, as well as texts, and my artist books, bear faint witness, like weak shoots; the meagre traces that remain of my wanderings.” His work, lively and complex, is the fruit of a study, a quest set off on long, long ago by this artist from Liège.
He is unveiling his colour photographs taken in Belarus with a silent photographic device at chest level. With their poetic and elegant form, they immerse us in his journey filled with beautiful objects, unusual monuments, and strange and disturbing women, with stern faces, and an awkward charm: a femininity that we are not accustomed to appreciating in the West. In the work he is presenting, the men have been cut out. “The universe of men – alcohol, cars, football, young women, and easy sex – does not interest me much, and I move away from it whenever possible. At bus stops, on buses, and on park benches, I prefer to sit by women. They put my mind at rest.”
Philippe Herbet was born in Istanbul in 1964. He arrived in Belgium two years later, in Seraing, a suburb of Liège. He takes photography courses at the Saint-Luc Institute in Liège, travels a great deal, and finds most of the material for his work in Eastern Europe.
Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00
