Behind The Curtain: The Aesthetics Of The Photo Booth

An exhibition of historical photo booth photographic works are on display at Musée de l’Elysée Lausanne.

The collection of images have been assembled to depict the development and inherent quality of the photo booth aesthetic. The installation includes over 600 pieces from artists such as Andy Warhol, Gillian Wearing, Cindy Sherman, Jürgen Klauke, and Franco Vaccari, whose work aids in the comprehension of the impact this style has had upon photography from its origin to contemporary times.

Curators Clément Chéroux and Sam Stourdzé have gathered visuals to investigate what they see to be the six major themes of the photo booth aesthetic. Firstly, a compilation of artists seek to answer the appeal of the booth as an isolated space for reflection– ‘a modern confessional’. Then, the notion of ‘automatism’ in the authentic quality of this instantaneous photo-mechanism. Following these two points, the spatial orientation and duplication of printed images on the iconic photo booth strip shape is interpreted by several artists. The notions of: ‘who am i?’, ‘who are you?’, ‘who are we?’, all investigate the earlier mentioned qualities of the photo booth as an ideal tool and setting to stage for both introspection and reflection upon the other.

Behind The Curtain: The Aesthetics Of The Photobooth
Musée de l’Elysée Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
February 17th, 2012 until May 20th, 2012

The images displayed to the right (after the diptych of ubiquitous photobooth images) are as follows:

‘Untitled’ by Cindy Sherman

1975  gelatin silver print

30.5 x 20.4 cm

Collection of albums of Purikuras

1995 – 2010′ by anonymous  collection of digital images printed on stickers mounted in booklets

Various sizes from 9 x 12.8 cm to 11.9 x 14.5 cm

Jonathan, Mickael, Priscilla, Cabine du Photomaton by Mathieu Pernot

1996  three gelatin silver prints

540 x 195 cm

‘Frances Lewis’ by Andy Warhol