wanderlust

A World Away

Alban Lavy, Franco-Swiss artist and designer, who also owns the gallery La Placette in Berlin, is currently exhibiting a range of his photography in his exhibition “Here or Somewhere Else.” What stands out the most is Lavy’s amazing capability to capture cultures through photography that takes a snapshot of different moments and places around the world. The worldwide theme fits in well with the environment as the district is already renowned for its international and multi-cultural population!

What does Berlin look like?

Despite a painful tooth operation and swollen face (hence the scarf), Lavy was able to tell me a bit about a bit of background to the exhibition. His statement “I often go to demonstrations – I am interested in social movements” is recognisable in his photographs of Berlin in which the city’s rebellious attitude is revealed.
 

Showing Berlin through its demonstrations is an interesting way of looking at the city, and incredibily representative of the city’s soul. Lavy has captured little moments which become representative of the whole, a child holding an Anti-Nazi balloon next to the sign “Berlin Against Nazis” and photographs of the demonstrations outside Tacheles represent contemporary Berlin’s daily struggles.

I don’t like Clichés

Alban Lavy states “I don’t like the clichés”, and this is obvious in his works! The different world moments he captures are often ironic, take for example the photographs of anti-nuclear protestors walking down Berlin’s Hiroshima Street and a burger-king mosque in Istanbul. Photographs like those bring on a little laugh. The moments are also often small -an angry looking dog glaring down from a balcony, a couple walking along a painted street. No matter the ordinariness of the photos, they are quite meaningful and represent an idea, a concept, and in some cases, an entire country.

La Placette Alban Lavy “Here or Somewhere Else” 10th May – 8th June 2012: Check website for opening times. 

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