For 2017, we chose gum printing as main theme. For our first meeting, we had the great pleasure to welcome JEAN JANSSIS.
He graduated in Roman Philology at the University of Liège in 1975. But very soon, since 1976, Jean devoted himself to photography. After a dozen years of traditional photography and a solo exhibition in Brussels in 1980, he discovered the gumprinting process in 1987, during a visit to the Museum of Photography in Antwerp. He adopted it at once, and today, 37 years later, it still is his favorite technique. Meanwhile, he is internationally recognized as a master in his art.
But it would be a mistake to see only the technical performance in his work. This goes beyond the beautiful technically perfect image; we are in presence of something stronger. From these big prints, the structure of the paper and the pigments used, his work on shadows and lights, his interaction with the models, emerges an atmosphere bathed in sensuality and illustrating universal themes such as: man, life, love, death ... Technique is at the service of a vision, a sensitivity. Looking at his work, we inevitably are reminded of the words of Minor White “I photograph things not as they are, but as I am ... all photographs are self-portraits”, and of Robert Delpire “Giving to see is one thing, getting people to think on what we have seen is another”.
The work of Jean Janssis opens a door to his inner world ... but watch out, when entering you will not only discover it, but you will also be led to meditate on your own world ...

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