“Marcel Dinahet launched the artist residency program on Ouessant in 2008 with two video installations titled Portraits and Falaises.
For Portraits, he was inspired by Jean Epstein’s film Finis Terræ. The expressive faces of the seaweed gatherers in the film left a strong impression on Dinahet, prompting him to trace the descendants of the actors from the 1929 film. Dinahet interviewed the sons, daughters, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter of the actors, asking about their memories and their connection to the film. He then filmed them in tight close-ups, capturing their expressions, features, and vivid emotions. The stillness and lack of sound lend a solemn tone to these individuals, who humbly honor their ancestors who once celebrated the profession of fishing on screen, a trade now gone from Ouessant.
Falaises is a video series that follows the artist’s work over the past twenty years: he submerges his camera in water to create images that blur the boundaries between water, land, and sky. Here, he dove off the coast of Ouessant and filmed the cliffs in tight shots, so that only water and rock are visible. The footage was captured at different times of day, during both high and low tides, to portray these maritime landscapes under various lights and hues of gray, blue, black, red, yellow, and green. From this perspective, despite the aesthetic beauty of the images, the island appears inaccessible and hostile. The constant movement of the waves gives the impression of being carried away by the currents. A natural wall rises before us, making the land impassable. The shores of Ouessant are indeed dangerous, and approaching the island requires time and respect for its people, traditions, and preserved environment.
These two works reveal the strength of this wild land and subtly address its history, culture, and the fascination it has always inspired.” Célia Chrétien
