Artist Review #2: Lucien Herve

Lucien Herve, 1956
1953
1955
1953

Lucien Herve never intended to become a photographer, but managed to pick up the trade from his experience as a journalist. Lacking formal training, Herve approached his subjects in a completely new manner. He focused on details, materials, shadows, and unique perspectives. Herve became Le Corbusier's official photographer in 1949 after photographing Unite d'Habitation in Marseille. The architect adored his work so much that he had Herve go back to his previously erected structures in order to recapture them. According to Le Corbusier, Herve "had the soul of an architect."

While I think it silly to idolize an individual, images are a different story. Lucien Herve's photographs appear to me like verses of a bible. His pieces encompass the entirety of what I seek to capture in my own works. His image of the roof of Ronchamp (the last image) is likely my favorite photographic work, bar none. At first glance, it's an image of a stark, concrete wall meeting a roof. Then, the shadow takes on its own shape and becomes almost a material in itself. In this image, Herve succeeds in transforming shadow into tangible substance. I am also drawn to the detail of the window that appears in the lower left corner. This detail allows the viewer to gain a better understanding of the placement of the camera in relation to himself. At the same time, this element opposes the meeting point of the three materials (roof, wall, and shadow).

Link: http://lucienherve.com/lh_corb.html