GÉRARD RANCINAN
Gérard Rancinan, who initially became widely known for his portrait photography, produces large-scale photographic tableaux commenting on social issues, politics, violence, and popular culture. Rancinan’s career a photojournalist in his teenage years, covering wars, riots, and natural disasters, directly shaped the critical tone of his later work. Rancinan’s works are often based on classical narratives and iconic artworks, but feature contemporary pop culture figures and objects in dramatic situations. Since 2005, Rancinan has worked on his epic series “Trilogy of the Moderns” with author Caroline Gaudriault, comprised of over 70 photographs. Subjects include remakes of Théodore Géricault’s Raft of the Medusa (1818-9) and Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas (1665), as well as Mickey Mouse- and Batman-themed satires.
LA DANSE. 2009
90X130 CM BARYTA PAPER ARCHIVAL PIGMENT PRINT EDITION 6/12 PRINTED LATER SIGNED ONCERTIFICATE BY THE AUTHOR IN PEN
For his most famous photograph ‘The Dance,’ Rancinan invited several dancers whose appearances were very different from one another. The photographer chose the white background on purpose: it doesn’t distract us from the main idea of the staged scene. In this photograph, we recognize Henri Matisse’s painting and see how it has been supplemented with characters from modern pop culture. © Gerard Rancinian