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You are here: Home1 / Gilbert Garcin

Gilbert Garcin

Gilbert Garcin: Existence is Elsewhere, Exhibition Catalogue, 2020

Newsletter Essay, 2012-2013

Gilbert Garcin’s photography explores a dreamlike world. It is inhabited by a tall Frenchman in an overcoat who has been christened Mister G and is an everyman reflective of all humanity and of our common tendency to think of ourselves as always in the foreground, despite all evidence to the contrary. Garcin photographs himself as Mister G, identifies poses he likes and places the resulting cutouts in small handmade sets that are as simple as they are ingenious, weaving wry existential spells of cardboard and string, sand and sticks, and light and shadow. When asked which comes to him first, the “moral” or the visual “story” of his images, Garcin’s response is as enigmatic and simple as his works themselves: “It doesn’t happen that way: the image and the idea for an experiment come to me spontaneously, as I’m observing the world around me.”

Born in 1929 in La Ciotat, Garcin studied economics and founded his own lighting manufacturing company in Marseille. After his retirement, he took up photography and won a small prize in 1994 to attend a workshop led by Pascal Dolémieux at the Rencontres d’Arles photographic festival. This opportunity introduced him to photomontage and a number of other techniques that have been hugely influential on him. His work has been widely published and exhibited and is held in the collections of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (Paris), Titze Collection (Vienna), Veendam Arthotheque (Netherlands), and Fond National pour l’Art Contemporain (France) among others.

Please note: additional works are available beyond images shown below.

Gilbert Garcin - 169 - L'attraction du vide (The lure of the void), 2001, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 169 - L'attraction du vide (The lure of the void)
Gilbert Garcin - 300 - La precarite, d'apres Robert Motherwell (Precarity - after Robert Motherwell), 2005, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 300 - La precarite, d'apres Robert Motherwell (Precarity - after Robert Motherwell)
Gilbert Garcin - 348 - Rien n'est parfait (Nothing is perfect), 2007 gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 348 - Rien n'est parfait (Nothing is perfect)
Gilbert Garcin - 374 - Maitre du monde (The master of the world), 2008, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 374 - Maitre du monde (The master of the world)
Gilbert Garcin - 434 - Candidat de gauche (Left wing candidate), 2012, gelatin silver print, 10 by 24 inches, 7 by 16 inches, or 5 by 12 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 434 - Candidat de gauche (Left wing candidate)
Gilbert Garcin - 435 - Candidat de droite (Right wing candidate), 2012, gelatin silver print, 10 by 24 inches, 7 by 16 inches, or 5 by 12 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 435 - Candidat de droite (Right wing candidate)
Gilbert Garcin - 436 - Il faut penser aux consequences (We must think about the consequences), 2012, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 436 - Il faut penser aux consequences (We must think about the consequences)
Gilbert Garcin - 437 - Le charme de l'au-dela (The charm of the next world), 2012, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 437 - Le charme de l'au-dela (The charm of the next world)
Gilbert Garcin - 438 - Icare contrecarré (Icarus thwarted), 2012, gelatin silver print,12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 x 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 438 - Icare contrecarré (Icarus thwarted)
Gilbert Garcin - 32 - L'ombre du maitre (The shadow of the master), 1995, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 32 - L'ombre du maitre (The shadow of the master)
Gilbert Garcin - 53 - Le paon (The peacock), 1997, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 53 - Le paon (The peacock)
Gilbert Garcin - 345 - La vie d'artiste (The life of an artist), 2007, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 345 - La vie d'artiste (The life of an artist)
Gilbert Garcin - 118 - S'aimer (Loving oneself), 1999, gelatin silver print, 12 x 8 inches, 16 x 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 118 - S'aimer (Loving oneself)
Gilbert Garcin - 121 - Fin (The end), 1999, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 121 - Fin (The end)
Gilbert Garcin - 198 - Precautions elementaires (Precautionary measures), 2002, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 198 - Precautions elementaires (Precautionary measures)
Gilbert Garcin - 289 - Regard sur la peinture contemporaine (A glance at contemporary painting), 2005, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 289 - Regard sur la peinture contemporaine (A glance at contemporary painting)
Gilbert Garcin - 291 - La convoitise (Covetousness), 2005, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 291 - La convoitise (Covetousness)
Gilbert Garcin - 309 - Le Yin et le Yang (ou les Malevitch choisissent un tapis)(Yin and Yang (or Malevitch's choose a carpet)), 2006, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 309 - Le Yin et le Yang (ou les Malevitch choisissent un tapis)(Yin and Yang (or Malevitch's choose a carpet))
Gilbert Garcin - 316 - La vie est belle (Life is beautiful), 2006, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 316 - La vie est belle (Life is beautiful)
Gilbert Garcin - 339 - L'ambition raisonnable (Reasonable ambition), 2007, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 339 - L'ambition raisonnable (Reasonable ambition)
Gilbert Garcin - 360 - L'artiste (The artist), 2008, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 360 - L'artiste (The artist)
Gilbert Garcin - 439 - Upward, 2012, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 439 - Upward
Gilbert Garcin - 401 - Au centre (At the center), 2009, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 401 - Au centre (At the center)
Gilbert Garcin - 397 - La rupture (The rupture), 2009, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 397 - La rupture (The rupture)
Gilbert Garcin - 369 - Se rendre utile (Making oneself useful), 2008, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 369 - Se rendre utile (Making oneself useful)
Gilbert Garcin - 352 - Vivre (Living), 2008, gelatin silver print,12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 x 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 352 - Vivre (Living)
Gilbert Garcin - 306 -La seule solution, ou Fontana, en mieux (The only solution, or Fontana improved), 2005, gelatin silver print,12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 x 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 306 -La seule solution, ou Fontana, en mieux (The only solution, or Fontana improved)
Gilbert Garcin - 307 -Le choix décisif (The decisive choice), 2006, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 307 -Le choix décisif (The decisive choice)
Gilbert Garcin - 328 - Obstination (Doggedness), 2006, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 328 - Obstination (Doggedness)
Gilbert Garcin - 334 -L’espace et le temps (Space and time), 2006, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 334 -L’espace et le temps (Space and time)
Gilbert Garcin - 336 - Être sûr de soi (Being self assured), 2007, gelatin silver print,8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 336 - Être sûr de soi (Being self assured)
Gilbert Garcin - 294 -Diogène ou la lucidité (Diogenes or lucidity), 2005, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 294 -Diogène ou la lucidité (Diogenes or lucidity)
Gilbert Garcin - 272 -Faire valoir son droit (Claiming one's right), 2004, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 272 -Faire valoir son droit (Claiming one's right)
Gilbert Garcin - 269 - La Tour de Babel (d’après Franz Kline) (The Tower of Babel (after Franz Kline)), 2004, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 x 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 269 - La Tour de Babel (d’après Franz Kline) (The Tower of Babel (after Franz Kline))
Gilbert Garcin - 257 -Ainsi va le monde (The way of the world), 2004, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 257 -Ainsi va le monde (The way of the world)
Gilbert Garcin - 254 -Le plus court chemin (The shortest path), 2004, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 x 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 254 -Le plus court chemin (The shortest path)
Gilbert Garcin - 186 - La conquête de l’espace (The conquest of space), 2001, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 186 -La conquête de l’espace (The conquest of space)
Gilbert Garcin - 202 -Le vent se lève (The wind is rising), 2002, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 202 -Le vent se lève (The wind is rising)
Gilbert Garcin - 214 - Le témoin (The witness), 2002, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 214 -Le témoin (The witness)
Gilbert Garcin - 217 -La double méprise (Twofold misunderstanding), 2002, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 217 -La double méprise (Twofold misunderstanding
Gilbert Garcin - 242 -Le temps suspendu (Suspended in time), 2003, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 242 -Le temps suspendu (Suspended in time)
Gilbert Garcin - 181 -Le regard des autres (The scrutiny of others), 2001, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 x 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 181 -Le regard des autres (The scrutiny of others)
Gilbert Garcin - 168 - Le compte exact (The exact count), 2001, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 168 - Le compte exact (The exact count)
Gilbert Garcin - 166 -Virtuose jouant un air connu (Virtuoso playing a well known tune), 2001, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 166 -Virtuose jouant un air connu (Virtuoso playing a well known tune)
Gilbert Garcin - 129 - Le bon diagnostic (The right diagnosis), 1999, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin -129 - Le bon diagnostic (The right diagnosis)
Gilbert Garcin - 105 -L’égoïste (The egoist), 1998, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin -105 -L’égoïste (The egoist)
Gilbert Garcin - 49 - Idylle nocturne (Night romance), 1996, gelatin silver print, 8 by 12 inches, 12 by 16 inches, or 20 by 24 inches
Gilbert Garcin -49 - Idylle nocturne (Night romance)
Gilbert Garcin - 46 - Le parvenu (The upstart), 1996, gelatin silver print, 12 by 8 inches, 16 by 12 inches, or 24 by 20 inches
Gilbert Garcin - 46 - Le parvenu (The upstart)

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