Roads in this desolate region of the Mojave snake between groups of Joshua trees. In the background, light from the casinos of Primm (30 km away) and Las Vegas (80 km away) illuminate the sky.
A former pupil at the International School of Geneva (Ecolint), Julian Kilker is returning to Geneva to introduce visitors at the Cité du Temps exhibition center to the wide, open spaces of the American Southwest Mojave desert. Running from 12 April to 13 May 2012, his “Time in the Mojave” exhibition will document, through a series of photographs, the beauty of decay in hauntingly beautiful landscapes, which are often overlooked or even bypassed by highway travellers. The focus of Julian's work is on the complex interactions between people and artefacts, poignantly mirroring contemporary concerns about the impact of rapid technological change on the environment.
All of the photographs in “Time in the Mojave” are on fabric squares measuring 1.75 metres by 1.75 metres, using dye sublimation printing. By shooting the pictures at night and using moonlight, Julian minimises visual clutter to emphasise his chosen subjects. Enchanting colours have been added to some pieces on location either by nature, or by highly artistic light painting. As a photographer, Julian succeeds in telling a spectrum of stories on the interplay of man and his surroundings: for instance, as the lights of vehicles streak past dilapidated buildings, he draws attention to the driver’s disregard for a place that once could have been called “home”.
Rear view of a 1964 Ford Falcon in the automobile graveyard at Zzyzx. If cars have faces, this detached bumper reminds Julian of one with a handlebar moustache.
Julian is currently a research professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a city located within the Mojave desert’s boundaries. He studies how people use information technologies for social and media purposes, concentrating on visual media. He teaches a variety of courses, ranging from research methodology to documentary photography. His own fascination with different human views on contexts and technologies has its roots in his experience of living and working in Thailand, Switzerland, France and Kenya, as well as his education in the contrasting disciplines of physics and social sciences. From his time spent living in Geneva (Julian attended Ecolint between 1975 and 1983), Julian still has vivid memories of the city, and clearly remembers large number of areas accessible to pedestrians and, in particular, an abandoned car repair site in Carouge, which sparked his interest in industrial and infrastructural decay.
Held at the Cité du Temps exhibition center at the Pont de la Machine, ”Time in the Mojave” is open every day from 12 April to 13 May 2012. Opening hours are from 9am to 6pm and admission is free.
There will be a vernissage on the evening of Thursday, 12 April, which is open to all knowitall.ch clients. Click here for more details or visit Julian's website, www.kilker.com.
The Pont de la Machine is at the heart of Geneva and has been one of the city’s landmarks since the 1840s. It was originally built to supply water to new public fountains but through the ages has become a symbol of the city’s industrial development. Since 2005 the building has been in the hands of the Swatch Group and houses the Cité du Temps, a unique, interactive venue for permanent and guest exhibitions.
For further information:
Cité du Temps
Susanne Strömbom
Pont de la Machine 1
1204 Genève
Tel. +41 22 818 39 00
Fax +41 22 818 39 10
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.citedutemps.com
www.kilker.com
Click here to view the Invitation to the Vernissage
Click here for more details on the exhibition, and to view some examples of Julian's work.
