Jean-Marc Yersin
Crise

Exhibition:
March 22 to May 4, 2019

Opening:
Thursday, March 21, 2019, 18:30
Introduction by Daniel Blochwitz, photo basel curator

Artist Talk:
Saturday, April 7, 2019, 15:00
Moderated by Sarah Zürcher, editor, art writer, curator, documentarian

Finissage:
Saturday, May 4, 2019, 13:00-17:00


Jean-Marc Yersin’s photographic series simply titled Crise was created in 2016 and was photographed in and around the cities of Gary, Joliet and Chicago. The resulting photographs elude every categorization, as they do not give any indication regarding their time or place of origin. Nevertheless, the pictures evoke notions of belonging in the viewer.Upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that the photographs capture the aftermath of the financial crisis. All of the photographs show the architectural remnants of former industrial hotspots in and around the cities of Lake Michigan. The places pictured in the photographs are deserted — just like the cities during the crisis. As a result of this, the pictures rather resemble a ghost town, instead of centers of industrial activity.
Much like Crise, the photographic projekt LA LIGNE shows a deserted and isolated architectural artifact. Namely a 18km long viaduct near Beauceron. This viaduct was designed by aeronautic Jean Bertin. Today, the architectural monument represents a sort of timeless futurism. Furthermore, essential pillars of the land art movement.