Bruno Palisson presents “The Way of the Salt Worker” an outdoor exhibition proposed by the city of Noirmoutier-en-l’Île from April 24th to September 21st, 2021
Art Trope Gallery is delighted to invite you to discover the photographic work of Bruno Palisson on his series “The Way of the Salt Worker” with 12 works exhibited in large format in the heart of the city of Noirmoutier-en-I’Île.
Since the dawn of time, highlighting the work of craftsmen of reality has been a way of reconnecting Man to his Earth and his environment. The exploits of prehistoric hunting on the walls of Lascaux, the medieval mosaics recounting agricultural activities, The Milkmaid by Vermeer or The Floor Scrapers of Caillebotte: the working individual amazes, fascinates but above all reminds us of the importance and the difficulty of those tasks. It is a trip taking us back to the roots which artists fight to represent in their works since the first steps of the Arts.
Sometimes threatened with extinction by industrialization, the artist pays tribute to the craftsman, who in turn, would find among the public the recognition of his ancestral practice. The series “The Way of the Salt Worker ” by Bruno Palisson holds a similar appreciation and thereby celebrates the technique of a salt worker in the salt marshes of Noirmoutier-en-l’Île.
The Way of the Salt Worker – 09 – 2019 © Bruno Palisson
This photographic series acts here as a highlight to the efforts of Patrick Nouvel, a salt worker in Noirmoutier-en-l’Ile. Throughout this series, we follow in the craftsman’s footsteps, observe him while he works. Composed around a diagonal, the square-sized black-and-white photographs capture and condense every moment, all of which are as necessary as each other, in the work of the salt worker. Bruno Palisson’s series “The Way of the Salt Worker” thus weaves a unique visual link between Man and his workplace. The salt marsh is a quiet space structured by Man surrounded by a natural landscape. It is filled with mysteries and history which we get to discover through the exhibition. The artist seizes the moment at which the salt worker succeeds in his feat, for which he is the only one who knows how to achieve.
The metatheater, where the artist waits for the right moment to take a photograph of the salt worker, underlines the importance of this exhibition. The profession is impressive and reconnects us to a tradition of ceremony and ritual allowing us to embellish our daily taste. Bruno Palisson celebrates the know-how, patience, strength and nature in a touching and innovative exhibition.
Placed in Noirmoutier, the specific environment and realization of this salt workers, the exhibition immerses you into a history, where you can fully enjoy the works of the artist. We invite you to discover or, rediscover this journey in the heart of traditions and know-how.
The Way of the Salt Worker 08 – 2019 © Bruno Palisson
To see the outdoor exhibition and its scenography, click here :
