Max Pinckers - Hélène Amouzou

Press conference Thursday 25 November, 11 am at FOMU.

MAX PINCKERS - DOUBLE BIND
26.11.2021 - 13.03.2022

Can a photograph say something about the world we live in? Max Pinckers (BE, 1988) places photography under the microscope. He explores the boundaries of documentary and reveals its manipulative nature. His artistic response is “speculative documentary”, a blending of fact and fiction. FOMU presents the first retrospective to cover the past five years of Pinckers’ work.

Margins of Excess takes us inside the sensational narratives of six individuals for whom fantasy and imagination are a way of life. Red Ink emerged from an assignment in North Korea. Pinckers used artificial light to draw attention to the staged nature of the images.

Controversy and Trophy Camera pose critical questions about the credibility of iconic photographs. For his most recent ongoing project, Unhistories—exhibited here for the first time—Pinckers tells the underreported story of the colonial violence perpetrated by the British regime against Kenyans during the country’s struggle for independence. Thousands of people held in detention camps were victims of torture and executions at the hands of their colonial oppressors.

Max Pinckers exhibits worldwide and is the driving force behind the Lyre Press publishing house, which publishes all his work. He is co-founder of The School of Speculative Documentary and from 2015 to 2021 was a doctoral researcher at KASK School of Arts, Ghent.

Simultaneously with the exhibition, Hannibal publishes the book 'Max Pinckers', author Hans Theys. The book is for sale in the museum shop for €49.95.

Press images

Underneath you can find a selection of 6 press images in low res. A larger selection of press images and high res images are available on request. You can use a maximum of 3 images free of rights for articles about the exhibition. The images may not be cropped and you always have to mention the full copyright.

 

 

HÉLÈNE AMOUZOU - ENTRE TEMPS
26.11.2021 - 13.03.2022

In the surreal months following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Hélène Amouzou (1969) left Liège to visit family in her native Togo. It was the first time since moving to Belgium 25 years ago that she paid such a long visit to her birth country. The pandemic brought the world to a standstill. To Amouzou, it felt like it had turned back the hands of time. ​

Amouzou is known for her moving portraits and fleeting imagery. Entre temps (‘Between Time’) is more than just a striking series about her Togolese family and friends. It is a self-portrait. As a migrant, Amouzou often feels trapped between two worlds; between here and there, then and now. Like her earlier acclaimed work Entre le papier peint et le mur (2009), this series is a reflection on identity and belonging. ​

Amouzou’s choice for analogue photography was a deliberate one. This slow method complements the meditative nature of her work. Entre temps was commissioned by FOMU and created in several darkroom sessions in the museum. ​

This exhibition is the result of an art commission as part of the COVID-19 grant provided by FOMU in spring 2020 in response to the coronavirus measures, which hit many photographers and artists hard. For the selection, FOMU collaborated with art and photography experts. Hélène Amouzou was nominated by Anne Wetsi Mpoma. Five other artists also received a FOMU grant within this framework, including Mous Lamrabat, Aurélie Geurts, Joud Toamah and artist duo Alexey Shlyk & Ben Van den Berghe. In de vervreemdende maanden na het uitbreken van het coronavirus bezoekt

Press images

Underneath you can find 1 press image in low res. A large selection of press images and high res images are available on request. You can use a maximum of 3 images free of rights for articles about the exhibition. The images may not be cropped and you always have to mention the full copyright.

Hélène Amouzou, Autoportrait, ma mère et moi Uit de serie: Entre temps
Hélène Amouzou, Autoportrait, ma mère et moi Uit de serie: Entre temps

PRESS CONFERENCE & INTERVIEWS

The press conference for 'Max Pinckers - Double Bind' en 'Hélène Amouzou - Entre temps' is on Thursday 25 november, 11 am at FOMU. The curators and artists wil guide you through the exhibitions. Interviews are on request.

Please confirm your prescence before 25 november.

Isabelle Willems

Head of press & communication, FOMU - Fotomuseum Antwerpen

Sarah Skoric

Assistant press & communication, FOMU - Fotomuseum Antwerpen

 

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About FOMU - Fotomuseum Antwerpen

The FOMU Fotomuseum of Antwerp houses one of the most significant photo collections in Europe, featuring both equipment and photo documents. Each year, the FOMU presents several temporary exhibitions by nationally and internationally renowned photographers. 

The museum’s displays change every four months, showcasing photography as a medium that is part of a broader social and cultural context. Visitors can also attend lectures and workshops, visit the museum shop and the museumcafé Pixel. The FOMU can be found in and old warehouse in the neighbourhood ‘t Zuid (South quarter of Antwerp), close to the museum of contemporary art M HKA and the museum of fine arts.

Contact

Waalsekaai 47 2000 Antwerpen België

+32 (0)3 242 93 00

info@fomu.be

www.fomu.be