Jimmy Nelson

Fomo 2.0: “I won’t take photos during the show, I don’t want to miss out on the experience!” (Fomo = fear of missing out.)
Jimmy Nelson is an internationally acclaimed photographer known for his photos of people in their natural environments. He first gained worldwide recognition with his images of Tibet and Tibetan people. I first encountered his photos nearly five years ago at the house of photographers in Stockholm.

Here, where I live, is the city of semi-deaf painters and other abstract artists similar to Van Gogh. So, it’s not unusual for a world-famous photographer to present his photos three kilometers away from my room in an unconventional way. The Carrieres des Lumieres is an abandoned white limestone quarry. Some of the stones were cut at a height of ten meters. The result: perfectly straight white surfaces suitable for projector screenings.

It’s like a three-dimensional slide film projection. They project onto every wall, floor, and ceiling. Due to the huge, somewhat labyrinthine spaces, the forty-minute, endlessly repeating programs are particularly spectacular. This year’s theme is Egypt and the world of the pharaohs – this is the daytime program. In the evenings, they hold special screenings, concerts, and dinners.

Tonight, there was a spatial projection of photos by Jimmy Nelson. I watched it three times because there wasn’t a fourth screening. I don’t even know which part was my favorite. Perhaps the eyes. In this case, it only zoomed in on the eyes, which were projected onto the wall as tall as the house.

Just with the eyes, it can express emotions. A strange choice of words came to mind: this man’s photos are alive. These are living people. It’s as if I’m not looking at pictures, but the girl, the man is standing there in space in front of me. Each one is so different and yet all the same;

sensitive human beings.

Les Baux. August 28, 2024. Thursday.