Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Christian Boltanski.


Boltanski was born in Paris, France in 1944. His formal education ended at the age of twelve and it was at that age that his career as an artist began. He creates installations with various materials.He uses obituary photographs, turning them into mini memorials, sometimes placing them on boxes, hanging them on clear walls with lighting within them or shining on them. The effect is an almost religious one, reminding me of prayer candles one lights in Catholic churches.
He also collects lost property from places such as train stations then transforms them into an art piece and forever memorializes the long forgotten owners. In interviews he asserts he is "lazy" and "does not love being an artist" but does not know what else to do with his time. He waits, doing mundane things, like watching television until inspiration strikes, only then will he begin a new work.

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