Readers picks #240

Surrounded by hip hop culture and in love with its strong texts, the 28-year-old French-Turkish artist Djibril Nalcakan, alias Cebos, expresses himself through photography — news coverage in particular. From his trips all across the world, he brings back unique shots. Although the author likes to take pictures of Barbès, the Parisian district he grew up in, distant countries also inspire him. Whether it is in India, Brazil, the Philippines or even Ethiopia, Cebos makes sure to capture reality with precision and poetry. Fascinated by black and white, he develops a raw and melancholic universe, unveiling the diversity of our societies.

© Cebos Nalcakan

Laurent Henrion

“I always start my series the same way: first, I find a theme that interests me, as well as a tint that will be a guideline in the series. Then, I feed on pictorial and textual references in order to enrich my imagination and to find strong symbols for the future images. Research is a crucial step in my creative process”

, Laurent Henrion explains, a Belgian photographer of 26 years old. As a drawing amateur, the artist grew tired of the media and turned towards the 8th art. “I was first introduced to the universe of photography through portrait. It then spread to fashion photography, and finally towards “auteur” photography”, he says. He has been working on a series called Monolithe for two years and a half now, a project that allows him to tackle the theme of desire. “My goal is to suggest a vibe, instead of disclosing a clear and distinct statement. I want to immerse the spectator in a dreamlike and introspective universe, only for a moment. I would say that I like to imagine my pictures as a whole; that to understand my work, one has to take the time to dive and soak into it.”

© Laurent Henrion

Cover picture: © Cebos Nalcakan