Write to the booksellers1 books for « sebastian dobson ruu... »Edit
JAPAN ON A GLASS PLATE : The Adventure of Photography in Yokohama and Beyond, 1853-1912
, Ludion, 2023 HB, 255 x 270 mm, 208 p ; ENG edition, NEW, illustrated in coloured photos. ISBN 9789493039995.
Lush vegetation in a jungle, butterflies in a field with colorful blooming flowers: Ruud van Empel's work is wonderful and alienating at the same time. The artist uses countless photographed details of people, plants, animals or objects to digitally cut and paste. He assembles this material into a composition on the computer, a process that was done analogously until 1995. The images look real, but they are not. With painting, film and (staged) photography as sources of inspiration, Van Empel has developed a new genre, so to speak. He himself speaks of 'building a photographic image' or 'photo objects'. Through his precisely composed scenes, elaborated down to the smallest details, the artist plays with images. His fictional worlds seduce, mislead the viewer or cause a feeling of discomfort. Without seeking controversy, other meanings lurk beneath the surface of his aesthetic images. In this way, Van Empel shows us how much we are influenced by different visual cultures in everyday life. In May 2023, the Stedelijk Museum Breda will present an extensive retrospective exhibition of Ruud van Empel. This monograph offers an overview of Van Empel's oeuvre from the 1990s to the present.
