The Universal Photographer
The Netherlands
2020
“The Universal Photographer” offers an introduction to the life, work and views of U. (1955-2016), a man who produced more images on more subjects and in a greater variety of styles than any other photographer. In U., various features from many photographers, scientists and collectors can be recognised, but the main characters in Flaubert’s novel Bouvard and Pécuchet are probably closest to his personality.
Like them, U. had a tendency to copy, collect, combine and study, and, like them, he lacked common sense. Photography’s primary quality – copying – is taken to extremes through U.’s straightforward approach. Reading the history of photography as photos of photos of photos, U.’s work may well be an invitation to discover even more images. To quote Bouvard and Pécuchet: “No thinking! Let’s just copy!”
With the support of The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Portfolio
About the artist
Anne Geene and Arjan de Nooy are Dutch photographers interested in science and data collection. Besides their personal photographic projects, they work together, building stories and fictional characters by mixing their own pictures with found ones. They published “Ornithology” in 2016 and “The Universal Photographer” in 2018.