vision
of our
lost
paradise
Nomadic Museum, "Ashes and Snow" from Gregory Colbert
Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles, The Nomadic Museum, a temporary recycled and modern cathedral dedicated to Lost Eden. Gregory Colbert takes us to a lonesome, slow, intim journey, which will leaves unforgettable spurs in our heart, and alters our vision of earth for long. He addresses our consciousness, our soul, our memory of the origins and brings us to a deep humility.
Born in Toronto, Canada, in 1960, his first exhibition "Times Waves" opened in 1992 in Switzerland and Japan. Since then he traveled during 10 years to Ethiopia, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka… Since 1992, he launched 34 expeditions, photographing animals belonging to protected species and human subjects such as Trace Dancers, Burmese Monks, San People, and himself free diving with whales.
In 2002, he produced "Ashes and Snow" at the Arsenale in Venice, Italy, a XVth century 125.000 square foot shipyard. In 2005, the Nomadic Museum was built for the first time with the renowed japanese architect, Shigeru Ban. This 56.000 square-foot temporary structure, constructed of 152 steel cargo containers is combined with largely recyclable and reusable materials to form the structural elements. In 2005, the Nomadic Museum was first built on Hudson River Park Pier's 54 in New York City, in 2006 it comes to California, and will follow its trip in Peijing, China, and Paris, France.
"Being amazed by Nature is the lifeblood of Ashes and Snow"
Once in this huge, unusual building, time stops you, takes you away from your life to a very special journey. You enter a modern temporary Cathedral. Its height, its silence are impressive and almost religious, only echoed by the sounds and musics of two videos and the monotonous voice and subtle texts of the author, extracts of his daily letters his wife, letters he will ask to burn, to throw as ashes into the river, and to remember them in an intim work of memory…
"If you come to me at these moments, your minutes will become hours, your hours will become days, and your days will become a lifetime…"
100 large-scale photographic artworks and a 35mm film by artist Gregory Colbert capture us immediately, and illuminate a timeless realm in which all creatures and human beings communicate and coexist in state of grace, a lost Eden, a world of symbiosis, harmony and peace. This is a journey inside ourselves, in a universal movement, in a poetic world which at the same time makes us think, and remember…
"Remember your dreams"
The extreme slowness of the film confers an amazing sensuality and emphasizes the fusion between animals and human beeings.
Each image of the film is a masterwork, in term of construction, of framing, of subjects. Parallel of skins, rythms, energies, gestures. All creatures, animal and human beings merge in a symphonic movement, a caring proximity, whatever the disproportion between the elephant and the child, the child and the shell, they all belong to a timeless brotherhood.
Each image is built on a stunning choregraphy linking all species and human beings, the peregrine falcon to the dancer, the free diver to the whales, children to tigers or meerkats, the young child to his grandmother… The instant of eternity and harmony seems to be the headlight of this project. Holistic vision of our lost paradise, where confidence and harmony are the prerequisites and fundamental principles of life.
Framing, construction, shadows and lights, draperies of clothes, skins and flesh and expressions of feelings remind us of Renaissance masterworks and give a strong depth to every picture. The absence of colour of the sepia like tone is subdued with highly subtle brown, green and blue shadows and reinforces this timeless feeling and emphasizes this perception of a dream of Eden.
"Feather to fire, fire to blood, blood to bone, bone to marrow, marrow to ashes, ashes to snow"…
Majestuous leitmotiv evoking vanities, animist vision and the power of memory and cycle of life.
"I want you to see through the eye of an elephant"
"I want you to join the dance that has no steps"
"I want you to become the Dance"
"I hope they remind me of who I am, may the gardians elephants hear my wish to collaborate with all musicians of nature's orchestra"
"I see the moon more clearly, i gaze upon all the Edens that have fallen in me, I saw Edens that I had held in my hands, but let go, I saw promisses i did not keep, wounds I did not heal, tears I did not share, prayers I did not answer…, dreams I did not live, all that was offered to me, and I did not accept".
Born in Toronto, Canada, in 1960, his first exhibition "Times Waves" opened in 1992 in Switzerland and Japan. Since then he traveled during 10 years to Ethiopia, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka… Since 1992, he launched 34 expeditions, photographing animals belonging to protected species and human subjects such as Trace Dancers, Burmese Monks, San People, and himself free diving with whales.
In 2002, he produced "Ashes and Snow" at the Arsenale in Venice, Italy, a XVth century 125.000 square foot shipyard. In 2005, the Nomadic Museum was built for the first time with the renowed japanese architect, Shigeru Ban. This 56.000 square-foot temporary structure, constructed of 152 steel cargo containers is combined with largely recyclable and reusable materials to form the structural elements. In 2005, the Nomadic Museum was first built on Hudson River Park Pier's 54 in New York City, in 2006 it comes to California, and will follow its trip in Peijing, China, and Paris, France.
"Being amazed by Nature is the lifeblood of Ashes and Snow"
Once in this huge, unusual building, time stops you, takes you away from your life to a very special journey. You enter a modern temporary Cathedral. Its height, its silence are impressive and almost religious, only echoed by the sounds and musics of two videos and the monotonous voice and subtle texts of the author, extracts of his daily letters his wife, letters he will ask to burn, to throw as ashes into the river, and to remember them in an intim work of memory…
"If you come to me at these moments, your minutes will become hours, your hours will become days, and your days will become a lifetime…"
100 large-scale photographic artworks and a 35mm film by artist Gregory Colbert capture us immediately, and illuminate a timeless realm in which all creatures and human beings communicate and coexist in state of grace, a lost Eden, a world of symbiosis, harmony and peace. This is a journey inside ourselves, in a universal movement, in a poetic world which at the same time makes us think, and remember…
"Remember your dreams"
The extreme slowness of the film confers an amazing sensuality and emphasizes the fusion between animals and human beeings.
Each image of the film is a masterwork, in term of construction, of framing, of subjects. Parallel of skins, rythms, energies, gestures. All creatures, animal and human beings merge in a symphonic movement, a caring proximity, whatever the disproportion between the elephant and the child, the child and the shell, they all belong to a timeless brotherhood.
Each image is built on a stunning choregraphy linking all species and human beings, the peregrine falcon to the dancer, the free diver to the whales, children to tigers or meerkats, the young child to his grandmother… The instant of eternity and harmony seems to be the headlight of this project. Holistic vision of our lost paradise, where confidence and harmony are the prerequisites and fundamental principles of life.
Framing, construction, shadows and lights, draperies of clothes, skins and flesh and expressions of feelings remind us of Renaissance masterworks and give a strong depth to every picture. The absence of colour of the sepia like tone is subdued with highly subtle brown, green and blue shadows and reinforces this timeless feeling and emphasizes this perception of a dream of Eden.
"Feather to fire, fire to blood, blood to bone, bone to marrow, marrow to ashes, ashes to snow"…
Majestuous leitmotiv evoking vanities, animist vision and the power of memory and cycle of life.
"I want you to see through the eye of an elephant"
"I want you to join the dance that has no steps"
"I want you to become the Dance"
"I hope they remind me of who I am, may the gardians elephants hear my wish to collaborate with all musicians of nature's orchestra"
"I see the moon more clearly, i gaze upon all the Edens that have fallen in me, I saw Edens that I had held in my hands, but let go, I saw promisses i did not keep, wounds I did not heal, tears I did not share, prayers I did not answer…, dreams I did not live, all that was offered to me, and I did not accept".
Edith Herlemont-Lassiat
Santa Monica, February 2006