Irwin Barbé: Bleuités

Bleuités, by Irwin Barbé.
15% of the sale of this print goes to Computers For Youth.

Irwin Barbé is seventeen years old. He is home-schooled in France, which enables him to travel around Europe. He works both in film and video, and his dream is to become a filmmaker. At the moment he photographs kids and teenagers. Irwin likes beaches in the winter, indie pop from the nineties, ginger kids, rooftops, and plastic bags. His biggest fear is not succeeding to earn a living with his movies and photographs in a few years. (Curators note: We don't think he needs to worry!)

About the print:
Bleuités is meant to be halfway between a typical family photograph and an art picture. The subject is quite common, but I tried to make it look unreal, with the fading colors, and the blurriness. The word “bleuités” is a neologism invented by Arthur Rimbaud, in his poem Le Bateau Ivre/The Drunken Boat. In English, it would mean something like “bluenesses”. I think it suited well because my picture has some strange blue tones.

This print is unsigned and was numbered by The Working Proof. It is printed on acid free, glossy Mohawk 100lb cover paper.

PURCHASE $30!

What is the typical process behind your work?
Basically, I just travel alone or with my friends, taking pictures of what I see. I think a lot about the aesthetic but I don't plan each picture precisely. I like leaving space for unexpected elements. That is why I shoot with film, rather than digitally - you can never be sure of what the picture is going to look like. To me, this is much more exciting than taking a hundred pictures with a digital camera. Shooting in film also makes me more careful about what I shoot, and the way I shoot it.

What has inspired you recently?
I watched the movie Badlands, by Terrence Malick, during a night without sleep a few weeks ago. I was astonished by the light. The spirit of Badlands seems really close to the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

More generally, much of my inspiration comes from movie snapshots. Each time I watch a movie on my computer, I take snapshots of the moments I like. I've got a big collection of them. It gives me ideas for photographs, but also story plots. For example, I put a few snapshots from different movies together and I try to imagine a story that would link them.

Why did you choose to pair Computers for Youth with your print?
I decided to pair my print with Computers for Youth because I believe that computers are the best way to discover new cultures, through the internet. It is a much better media than TV because you can choose what you see. The internet has enabled me to discover many bands, photographers, movies, and so on, that I wouldn’t have ever discovered without it. The best thing is that I have been able to contact some of these people that I admire. On the internet there are no monetary boundaries: if you have talent, or if you’re just curious, you will find what you need. That’s why I think it is important to give computers to young people.



How have you seen art transform the world around you?
Art sometimes seems useless. However I do think that art can transform people. It shows them different lifestyles, new ideas, and therefore it might change their life. It can create the desire to live a more interesting life. To me that's how you should judge a work of art: does it give you the feeling that you have discovered a way of life? Does it make you want to travel? Does it seem real?

If you could pick one artist to mentor you, who would it be?
Many people make comparisons to Ryan McGinley when they see my photographs. I would like to meet him, and see how he works. I feel close to his photographs and to his world in general: the bohemian lifestyle, the youth…He would definitely be a good mentor.

Who are some artists you think people should know about?
Sofia Coppola for her delicate, ethereal movies. Alfred Kubin for his incredibly imaginative drawings. Thieves Like Us for their songs both euphoric and melancholic. Auguste Renoir for his fresh colors. Jerry Hsu for his rad photographs (and his perfect style on a skateboard).