"Photogenèse" - A return to the roots of nature photography by Isabelle Le Minh

Isabelle Le Minh graduated from the École nationale supérieure de la photographie (ENSP Arles, a high school of art specializing in photography in Arles), she is a visual artist in Nogent-sur-Marne and a photography teacher at the Rhin College of Arts in Strasbourg.

Her works are exhibited in major public collections such as the Centre Pompidou - National Museum of Modern Art, the National Center for Aesthetic Arts or the National Library of France.

Through his diverse and polysemous works, the artist explores the nature and limits of photography, reactivating its history, technique and theory, as well as the concept of originality in a world dominated by images.

Her art residency project, titled "Photogenèse", can be seen as a return to the roots of photography, with an environmentally friendly approach.

Originating in 19th century France in the context of an industrial and colonial society, photography was quickly exported around the world. However, there are many processes and many creators.

As in another era, Isabelle Le Minh will try to reinvent a process of fixing images through the impact of light in the context of rural Vietnam, by integrating into her research manual techniques or traditional materials (dyed plants, lacquer, dó paper, bamboo or silk…).

Some experiments by artist Isabelle Le Minh

Sharing the reason for coming to Vietnam to participate in the program, the artist said that her father is of Vietnamese origin, so she has long wanted to come to Vietnam to be able to research the culture of her homeland through working with the people here.

Speaking about her current work, Isabelle Le Minh said that she is interested in the history of photography and the history of images, especially all the imagination related to these issues. "This project at Villa Saigon fits perfectly with my approach because for me, it is about going back to the origins of photography," she said.

At the same time, he explained: "They found a way to record and edit images with light, which really meets the definition of photography? - From this hypothesis, I experimented with all kinds of materials I found around me, especially dyes and lacquer colors because these are materials that are very sensitive to light".

Isabelle Le Minh also said that this is a project related to nature that requires a lot of experimentation, so it can be considered a research project rather than a creative or production project. It is a way for her to see how artists and craftsmen work, how they use materials, techniques, and methods... in order to find the connection between these techniques and photography.

Kyara Art House is proud to partner with the French Institute Vietnam and the Villa Saigon residency program, hosting Isabelle Le Minh and supporting the artist in her 8-week photography research in the summer of 2024.

Kyara Art House is a gallery, residency and art exchange space, located on the banks of the Thu Bon River, founded in 2023 by Vietnamese artist Pham Ngoc Tram and James Compton - an Australian journalist.

Kyara focuses on artistic exchange, connecting artists and their practices with the diverse cultures and natural environment surrounding the ancient trading port of Hoi An. The "Villa Saigon" program is open to artists or groups of artists of French nationality or living in France, working in all artistic disciplines and specializing in contemporary creation. The purpose of the program is to strengthen and promote artistic dialogue between France and Vietnam.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/photogenesis-su-tro-lai-voi-coi-nguon-cua-nhiep-anh-tu-thien-nhien-cua-isabelle-le-minh-20240916170108342.htm