Mercadier, Lunar Square

Corinne Mercadier holds a special place on the French art scene with her very distinctive photography work that creates atmospheres tinged with mystery and poetry. She likes to set her photographs, often black and white, in ambiguous exteriors and blur their reference points, staging scenes in which the characters are invited to play roles that sometimes boggle the mind.
This large-format triptych was shot on the beach at Le Havre. The artist's lens stopped on a group of people out for a walk. Some, seated and seen from behind, are gazing out to sea, while others are playing some sort of game as a gust of wind billows and unfurls a sail. A strange poetry emits from this triptych, reminiscent of certain paintings by the German Romantic artist David Caspar Friedrich or, closer to home, Dufy's paintings of Le Havre beach scenes hanging on the MuMa walls.

Works acquired in 2010 (7)

Rut Blees LUXEMBURG (1967), Schlachthof / Slaughterhouse, Le Havre, 2008, colour photography, C-print, 155 x 200 cm. © MuMa Le Havre / Rut Blees Luxemburg © Adagp, Paris
Xavier ZIMMERMANN (1966), CC07, 2009, photograph printed on a plotter, 118 x 148 cm. © MuMa Le Havre / Xavier Zimmermann
Pierre CRETON (1966), Papa, Maman, Perret and Me (an apartment as witness), 2009, photogram (video). © MuMa Le Havre / Pierre Creton
Vincenzo CASTELLA (1952), Le Havre I, 2008, C-print, 180 x 225 cm. © MuMa Le Havre / Vincenzo Castella
Gabriele BASILICO (1944-2013), The Volcan from Place Général De Gaulle, 1984, black and white photography, 50 x 60 cm. © MuMa Le Havre / Gabriele Basilico
Thibaut CUISSET (1958-2017), Roncherolles-en-Bray, 2006-2009, , 92 x 125 cm. © MuMa Le Havre / Thibault Cuisset
Corinne MERCADIER (1955), Lunar Square III, “Longue distance” series, 2005, digital prints on barite paper, 70 x 120 cm. © Corinne Mercadier