kaalam: light calligraphy
‘last train’ brooklyn, new york, USA photograph by david gallard image © julien breton
exploring the gestures and movements of calligraphy, nantes-based artist kaalam (aka julien breton) has created a body of work that uses hand-held light and long-exposure photographic techniques to capture the transient form within a real setting. often utilizing urban or historical sites as his three-dimensional canvas, the self-taught artist creates his own latin-based alphabet that heavily draws from traditional arabic and eastern calligraphy. arresting and provocative, the floating light forms are not mere superimposed subjects but display a direct engagement with the surroundings.
the capturing process, which can take as long as ten minutes, requires a choreographed movement which kaalam practices before hand in heavy repetition. different colours of ‘ink’ is achieved through pigmented gelatin which is applied directly onto the lamps. none of the photographs are retouched or edited, illustrating the laborious process in a single shot.
‘undercover’ brooklyn bridge, new york, USA photograph by david gallard
image © julien breton
‘freedom’ worksop, england photograph by david gallard
image © julien breton
‘lux – lumière’ photograph by david gallard
image © julien breton
‘aerial’ photograph by david gallard
image © julien breton
‘intimité’ dampsmesnil, france photograph by david gallard
image © julien breton
via ANIMAL
LIGHT PAINTING(12)
Mar 07, 2018
Jul 30, 2015
Apr 03, 2015
Sep 14, 2014
Aug 23, 2013PRODUCT LIBRARY
Sep 20, 2020
Sep 18, 2020
Sep 16, 2020
Sep 16, 2020
Mike Dec 08, 2012 Annie Nov 03, 2011 Theremin Nipplecat Oct 31, 2011 amin Oct 30, 2011 pete ... the first one Oct 29, 2011 Kaalam Oct 29, 2011 wedz Oct 29, 2011
more commentsKalaam,
Beautiful work!
Unfortunately, by showing them to the public, you’re opening yourself up to criticizm… and people have a right to say whatever they want about your work. I say that any feedback, even negative, is better than no feedback. The fact that your work has elicited such strong opinions in both directions means you’re doing something right!
Do you not think that what is beautiful about these ‘crappy graffiti tags’ is the fact they took around 10 minutes and a ‘choreographed dance’? Also that it is an entire new alphabet? or that it is placing graffiti tags within air, as a movement, rather than how it would usually be on a surface in paint?
These are done well, fake or not, they look the part. They are technically well achieved. The problem is that this kind of photography is very boring, and very over done. Surely you could use your talents in a more original way, or in a way that actually says something. Crappy graffiti tags made of light or still just crappy graffiti tags.
very poetic and contemporary re-iteration of hassan masoudy’s explorations. well done and respect
Sorry wedz, the second guy who signed ‘pete’ was not me. personally i luv it. some d##khead.
@pete : ?????
@wedz : So only the first man who done graffiti on a wall do graffiti? The others who use the same medium with a different style are only good to copy? Ok… Interesting. Marko is one of the first man who done light graffiti, yes, sure, but Vicky Da Silva, Picasso, man ray too and before him. So Marko is a copier?
yes, fake meaning that this has been done before,
a sample if you want.
@kaalam… great ! marko is your Friends, well done, but whatever, it’s a copy. certainly a good copy.