Christian Boltanski - Photographs London Wednesday, May 18, 2011 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Private Collection, Germany

  • Catalogue Essay

    Christian Boltanski, known for his sculpture, photography, painting and film making, is a self-taught artist who began painting in his teenage years. In the 1970s his main concern was the medium of photography, he used the camera to record and convey his expression of early action, reaction and consciousness. With these pictorial presentations and accompanying texts he created the Reconstitution Series. During these formative years he was fascinated by the autobiographical, preserving in time his childhood endeavours. By re-living them as an adult they become more obscure and seem ridiculous when performed by an adult. Each pastiche is meticulously placed in time, noted and described as though the exercise is part of a scientific study. The reason for fixating on these particular experiences is not clear as the actions are seemingly mundane and average. It is almost as though he literally practices recording, indicating his said fascination with forensic science and preparing us for further works which serve as faux documents and refer to his own personal history or that of others.

156

Reconstitution des gestes effectués par Christian Boltanski entre 1948 et 1954

1970
Seven gelatin silver prints.
Each approximately 23.8 x 17.8 cm (9 3/8 x 7 in).
Each titled and annotated in French ink on the mount.

Estimate
£15,000 - 20,000 

Photographs

19 May 2011
London