These vintage images were printed by the artist and have been released
by the Fondation Jean-Pascal Imsand for distribution through the
Anahita Gallery. The works include montages, cityscapes,
and portraits, demonstrating the artist's stylistic range and famed
mastery of mood. Jean-Pascal Imsand remains a dark and in many ways mysterious figure despite the numerous publications of his work and his unquestioned stature in the history of late 20th century European photography. Imsand was one of the last generation of artists to work by hand in the darkroom to create photomontages, or as he preferred, the French term assemblages, in which he used steam, clouds, and deep shadow to construct dreamlike visions. Imsand achieves equally dramatic effects in his “straight” photography, notably in the urban cityscapes of his hometown Lausanne. Here, the only human figures are the wary inhabitants of an often threatening environment - reminiscent of the gothic works of Paul Citroën or Fritz Lang's film Metropolis. In contrast, his portraits are tender, with gentle humor, especially those featuring his beautiful wife, the actress Sabina Scullari. Imsand’s formal concerns are always paramount, and it is this focus on the abstract qualities of an image that sustains and gives coherence to Imsand’s work, regardless of the subject matter or whether he takes a “straight,” montage, fragmented or minimalist approach to each particular photograph. Background, Exhibitions, Publications
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