Pierre Abensur

Pierre Abensur follow French, born 1962

Lives in Geneva, GVA, Switzerland

Projects/Portfolios

Subjective trophies

Introduction

SUBJECTIVE TROPHIES

The global concept consists in doing portraits of hunters with their naturalized (taxidermy) trophies on the spot where the hunt took place, like a metaphoric reconstitution of a real-life drama. For this performance that resembles a pilgrimage, I asked them to wear their most elegant and ceremonial clothes. This was also to refer to fine art portraits that represent noble persons in hunting dress during passed centuries. The equipment has an influence on the atmosphere. For this special event I wanted the mark of solemnity. I used a 4x5 inches camera coupled with flashes, which needed a long preparation and put the models in a motionless attitude before and during the shooting. This project has been going on in different countries like France, Switzerland, western Africa, Mongolia, Argentina, Finland and Namibia.

Hunting is actually presented as a patrimonial heritage and went over primitive consideration to become more creative. The beauty of the act and the physiognomy of the animal have replaced the nutritional aspect. Self-reward, the trophy is free of all collective dimensions. Out of competition. Its value hides behind its story and its beauty shines, above all, in the eyes of the hunter.

Trophies can be considered as visible signs of power, totemic adoration or a significant materialisation of a paradoxal love. The perceptible mimicry that links a predator to his prey made me think that far from a supposed unilateral act, killing could be a tacit agreement between both of them, united in a natural cycle of perpetuation of the species. The African traditional hunters believing in mystic animals precede and close the hunt with complex esoteric rituals.

As a false resurrection of a dead animal used for ornamentation, the trophy can also be seen as an ovation to nature and divinity or like a human wish to substitute it. On the sociological plan taxidermy can also be considered as a social revenge for popular classes who can now afford some of the aristocratic customs.

The fundamental element of the approach is also held in the perspective of the contradictory notions of natural and artificial that appear repeatedly in the narrative construction.

Just as… killing by love.

PA