Dedans / Dehors

Philippe De Gobert : Dedans / Dehors (4)

This new exhibition by Philippe De Gobert brings together a series of photographs taken in Brussels, all bearing the same title, *Dedans / Dehors*, followed by a number.

Each piece reflects a closeness in artistic vision that highlights their shared identity.
Unlike previous series of models of artists studio interiors where all that remained were a few empty frames lying on the floor against the walls, old paint cans containing
brushes, various containers, or studio tools this new series of studio photographs focuses, beyond a few minor reminders of the previous work carried out there, the
exterior views visible from their windows, which become the main focus of this series. In earlier studio views recalling a working stay in New York, their windows opening
out onto the city already focused on the facades of New York's artistic neighborhoods, while others centered on the rooftops of Manhattan's historic buildings from the first
half of the 20th century, revealing the water tanks typical of that era. These views of water tanks were not photographed but painted by Philippe De Gobert to be subsequently integrated into the window spaces of the final works, thereby confirming their illusory nature.

The current exhibition completely renews its field of investigation and, from the very choice of its title, *Dedans / Dehors*, signals a break both stylistic and artistic with all
of his previous work. These photographs are displayed without visible frames. Unlike the previous ones, while maintaining the same rigor of intent, the various "Dedans"
they present to our gaze now offer only a few rare allusions to earlier works that might have been carried out there. It is indeed the second part of the title, "Dehors," that
now constitutes the main focus and draws the viewer's attention first. Each of these photographs encourages visitors to focus their attention on the windows all wide open
to the various urban landscapes they reveal thereby immediately transporting them out of the interior space where they are supposed to be and allowing them to focus
solely on the discovery of the outdoor spaces. These landscapes unfold as a succession of rear facades of various structures residential homes, government or office
buildings, and ruins that are either abandoned or awaiting restoration or reconstruction. All of them highlight their differences and contrasts with the calm and tranquility of the studios where the first glimpses of the "Inside" were created.
These views are taken from the rear windows of various houses in Brussels, or from the windows of trains on the Jonction line connecting the Midi Station to the Central
Station. Beyond affirming their unity of purpose, this emphasis also reveals in its rejection of any aesthetic or stylistic pursuit a rejection of even the slightest architectural ostentation. Philippe De Gobert's reference to Ludwig Wittgenstein's quote, "Where others pass by, I stop" takes on particular relevance here. It highlights the importance of focusing on realities that are generally overlooked or ignored, considered to be of no architectural or even social significance. This approach stands in contrast to the perspectives and instincts of passersby or strollers who are attuned to the city's lights and their beauty, as well as to the aesthetic, stylistic, or historical statements of the various architectural displays intended to capture their attention throughout their wanderings. This spotlight on the nearly neglected, makeshift, or downright chaotic aspects of these inner courtyards reveals that they are, in fact, deliberately devoid of any architectural or urban planning considerations. A second notable difference from Philippe De Gobert's earlier works is evident in each of these photographs beyond the diversity of perspectives they offer in the priority given to the light emanating from each of these views toward the outside world. All of them convey different intensities of light: the powerful light of midday, which brings out the sharpness of the colors and the diversity of the urban details it bathes; the light of dusk, when the first signs of the approaching twilight and the gradual intensification of street lighting appear; and finally, the light of night, with the contrasts created by the variety of artificial lights emanating from the different windows of these urban interiors.

The works in this series thus form a sequence of 'well-balanced' perspectives characterized by unwavering rigor. They confirm once again the distance Philippe De Gobert maintains throughout his body of work from documentary or event-based photography. They reveal the great attention he pays to the nuanced meaning of his artistic concept, visually expressing what looking and seeing can convey while encouraging reflection that goes beyond the mere observation of immediate information.

Michel Baudson
a.i.c.a - icom