Hasted Kraeutler in Chelsea is
presenting a collection of photographs by Pierre Gonnord for the show The Dream Goes Over The Time. Gonnord’s
subjects include immigrants, gypsies, tribes, and clans living in communities
that are off the beaten track. Gonnord adds an air of royalty to his subjects
by capturing them against dark backgrounds from the waist up as they gaze
intently at the camera.
The title of the exhibit comes from
a poem by Federico Garcia Lorca with a line that reads The dream goes over the time floating like a sailboat as his
subjects possess a combination of fragility and resilience. For instance, one
poignant image titled Rogiero II
depict a young boy evoking maturity beyond his years as he stares solemnly at
the camera dressed in a suit resting his elbow on a table covered with cloth.
Another image titled Maximiliana features an elderly woman
dressed in black with a vacant expression on her face as if she’s feeling
numbness after experiencing the loss of a loved one.
Notions of love and nurturing are
also evident such as in the image Maria
Joao e Isaac depicting a woman nursing her twin babies as she stares out
into the distance as if she’s looking out into the big world that her children
will eventually have to face.
Gonnord also includes striking
portrayals of animals, particularly horses, with images like Ortigao depicting a black horse and Vengador depicting a white horse and
Gonnord captures their vulnerability that lies beneath their exuberant
exterior.
