SANS TITRE | MICHEL MEDINGER
How does the life of an Olympic athlete, specifically a middle-distance runner, reconcile with the disposition of an 18th-century collector? Michel Medinger explores this unique blend in Lord of things, presenting a highly personal approach that is as coherent as it is ironic.
The quest for the perfect object, the perfect light, or the perfect set is never random; it is a constant process of experimentation (or training?) to achieve a composition that skillfully combines photographic technique with an allusive style.
The objects Medinger uses are all part of his personal collection, stored in what can be imagined as a house-museum. A Lord of things, a serial collector and omnivorous of skulls, bird skeletons, improbable monkey figurines, vintage roller skates, dried flowers, musical instruments, or spiked shoes… There is no precise order to these objects; rather, the chaos serves as an irreverent provocation, a manipulation of Flemish painting traditions and surrealist echoes, transported into a fluid temporality that spans past, present, and future in constant motion.
It is not in the individual setup, object, or print—whatever its technical nature—that one can find enjoyment or the same pleasure that Medinger himself seems to experience with each attempt and outcome, whether titled or not. Rather, it is in a deliberate overwhelm, in a time that can be superficial and fleeting or slow and seductive, depending on what resonates with our own sensitivity and experiences.
The Polaroid is a natural medium for his scenes: seductive, magical, ironic, and always unexpected—yet never exclusive.
Everything is significant and everything is meaningless, Medinger’s unique combination lies in that gaze that fixes on us and guides us through different eras and cultures, reminding us never to stop looking, whether with our eyes or our spirit.
The artwork is part of the exhibition “Michel Medinger – Lord of things,” curated by Sylvie Meunier and produced by Lët’z Arles (Luxembourg) for the 2024 edition of the Rencontres d’Arles festival, July 1–September 29, 2024.
Michel Medinger
Sans titre, 90’s
Polaroid
© The artist’s collection
14/08/24