Paul Mpagi Sepuya
Sebastian

Sepuya’s photographs include arrangements and use of silverware creating a historic connection to both the physical activity of shining silver, a traditionally labor-intense process, and silver emulsions which have been a crucial element in the development of photographs. Both the shining of silver and the application of silver emulsion in the dark room result in an image emerging by either removing tarnish or a chemical reaction that reveals an exposed image. Repeatedly touching, conditioning, and thus changing the surface of an object to reach clarity has been at the forefront of the artist’s mind while working on this new body of work. The series title LUSTRER links to the rich history of Paris in which silver played a dominant role not only in aristocratic circles and the bourgeoisie but also as the cradle ground of early photography. Within these series Paul Mpagi Sepuya creates a rich variety of contemporary studio photography that transforms its historical referents, each increasing the depth of the conceptual approach to his selected historic themes. The surface of the silver vase reveals the reflections of the studio and the bodies in it.
From early photographs taken in his bedroom to long-term projects anchored in the photographer's studio, the practice of Sepuya is oriented around photographic portraiture. Through research into the body, Sepuya explores the possibilities of fragmentation and connection in the performative space. His models are people with whom he has a special bond, friends and predominantly male subjects. The handling of the camera becomes a poetic act. These are portraits in the broadest sense of the term, centered on the intimate moment between artist and model. Photography is seen as a privileged moment in which relationships are established. Sepuya moved studio spaces in the Spring of 2021 and found himself researching the decorative settings of early photographic studios. He then began filling his own new studio with items such as European and African antiques, postmodern contemporary reproductions, early 20th century gardening tools, rugs and pillows, and silverware against the backdrop of full-length black velvet curtains. The artist is not interested in historical recreation, but favors a form of play that acknowledges the impossibility of nostalgia. The accumulation of these objects and their references was a departure from the contemporary utilitarian aesthetic of his earlier Dark Room project, allowing further exploration into the dark room by bringing into focus the staging-ground of the historic daylight studio.