Focus

Gerald Fox

Out of the ordinary

Robert Frank
Christian Boltanski
Gilbert & George

Edito

Working with the artist

Gerald Fox has directed over 50 portraits of artists, photographers, writers, film-makers and musicians, including a few hermits who rarely confide in us. These include Robert Frank, the elusive Christian Boltanski and the extravagant couple Gilbert & George. Gerald films them all at work, in their studios, in their lives.

The Films

85’

Robert Frank | Leaving Home, Coming Home

The transformative power of photography in life's chapters.

More than just America, Robert Frank is a life of experimentation, of travel, of sensitivity. American by adoption, he returns to his roots in Europe, his apprenticeship and his first photos. Guided by intuition, he gravitates towards the cinema in the early 1960s, won over by the Beat Generation and its poetry. He revisits his career highlights while strolling through New York, Coney Island, places that shaped his work. He also invites us to his studio where he works "on life” with June Leaf, his wife. His photos and his films show how much his life and his work draw upon the same material.

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43’

Christian Boltanski: Dead or Alive?

Boltanski's world: A blend of sculpture, photography, and history.

In his studio, in his car, Gérald Fox follows the elusive Boltanski who, in his installations, makes use of portraits, newspaper clippings, magazines, family albums. The photographic approach, endlessly recomposed, proceeds by juxtaposition and accumulation. Each shot, framed in black, is lit by visible bulbs, the mass effect restoring the individual: walls of votive images that question the memory, our dark side, the inevitable passage of time, the traces left behind. Between autofiction and reality, Boltanski: artist or maker (of beauty)?

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100’

The Fundamental Gilbert & George

Provocative artistry and British wit in East End London.

Gilbert & George cultivate paradoxes. Set back from the upscale milieu of contemporary art that reveres them, this pair of loners advocates "art for all". Serial, obsessive, sensitive, cerebral, with a British elegance that borders on parody, their provocative commandeering of the codes compels reflection. The camera follows them in their home-studio, in their neighbourhood, giving free rein to the lucid, often crude words of these working-class gentlemen about themselves and about the changes in the world that feed their creative process.

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Dive Behind the Scenes of Photography!

Remember the first time you held a camera, that thrill of capturing a one-of-a-kind moment... Relive that magic, dive into the wonders of photography, uncover its secrets, and fuel your inspiration with an exceptional collection of documentary films and original creations, complemented by exclusive articles, interviews, and a wealth of resources that invite you to observe the world from a fresh perspective.

By Photography Enthusiasts, For Photography Enthusiasts

The Darkroom Rumour is a groundbreaking video library aimed at inspiring and nurturing the photographic realm. It was conceived by enthusiasts who wanted to fill the glaring lack of films and documentaries about photography on our TV screens and streaming platforms. Each film is handpicked and thoughtfully introduced, saving you hours of searching. We add one to two new films to our collection every month.

Fuel Your Photographic Journey

Imagine where your passion could take you tomorrow. Draw inspiration from the journeys and insights of top photographers and craftsmen. Advance your photography practice, deepen your personal research, and even boost your confidence... The Darkroom Rumour offers a unique space, welcoming all forms of photography, without bias to style or genre. It's a haven for discovery, reflection, and entertainment. Pressure-free, judgment-free, at your own pace.

Anywhere, Anytime, No Strings Attached

Experience total freedom. Whether you're at home, on the move, or on vacation, The Darkroom Rumour is available for streaming worldwide, always at your fingertips, hassle-free. Choose the access type that suits you best and explore all that The Darkroom Rumour has to offer with our 7-day free trial. No risks, no commitments. Dive in and experience pure inspiration!

Further exploration

• THE AMERICANS - artist: Robert Frank ; introduction: Jack Kerouac ; 1959 ; Grove Press

• THE LINES OF MY HAND - artist: Robert Frank ; 1972 ; Lustrum Press

• MOVING OUT - artist: Robert Frank ; 1995 ; Scalo

• LONDON / WALES - artist: Robert Frank ; author: Philip Brookman ; 2007 ; Steidl Verlag

• PARIS - artist: Robert Frank ; 2008 ; Steidl Verlag

• PERU - artist: Robert Frank ; 2008 ; Steidl Verlag

• VALENCIA - artist: Robert Frank ; 2012 ; Steidl Verlag

• IN AMERICA - artist: Robert Frank ; 2014 ; Steidl Verlag

• HOLD STILL - KEEP GOING - artist: Robert Frank ; author: Christophe Ribbat ; 2016 ; Steidl Verlag

• ROBERT FRANK: GOOD DAYS QUIET - 2019 ; Steidl

• CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI – FAIRE SON TEMPS – exhibition catalogue in French and English; directed by: Bernard Blistène; Éditions du Centre Pompidou; 2019

• CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI, RÉCITS - authors: Christian Boltanski and Laure Adler; Flammarion; 2021

• LA VIE POSSIBLE DE CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI - authors: Christian Boltanski and Catherine Grenier; Fictions & Cie (Seuil); 2010

• BOLTANSKI: SOULS FROM PLACE TO PLACE - author: Danilo Eccher; Silvanaeditoriale; 2018

• BOLTANSKI. TIME - author: Ralf Beil; Hatje Kantz Publishers; 2007

• GILBERT & GEORGE - THE GREAT EXHITION (1971-2016) - catalogue ; preface : Maja Hoffman ; authors : Hans Ulrich Obrist, Daniel Birnbaum ; LUMA Arles with Heni Publishing London ; bilingual french-english ; 2018

• GILBERT & GEORGE - THE MEANING OF THE EARTH - author : Wolf Jahn ; Hurtwood Press ; 2022

• THE COMPLETE POSTCARD ART OF GILBERT & GEORGE - author : Michael Bracewell ; Prestel Verlag ; 2011

• GILBERT & GEORGE - author : Jan Debbaut, Michael Bracewell, Marco Linvingstone, Ben Borthwick ; Tate ; 2007

• THE WORLD OF GILBERT AND GEORGE : THE STORYBOARD - author : Gilbert & George ; Enitharmon Press ; 2002

Robert Frank Dies; Pivotal Documentary Photographer Was 94 - The New York Times Article

Interview: New Doc Puts Robert Frank in Frame - Hollywood Soapbox Article

How Robert Frank’s Photographs Helped Define America - The New Yorker Article

Possibly, Everything: An Interview with Robert Frank - Border Crossings Article

Robert Frank - Howard Greenberg Gallery Page

Interview with Alexis Dahan, "The Brooklyn Rail", February 2020.
Press article in “The Guardian”, juillet 2020.

"Christian Boltanski: Talking Art", Tate, april 2009.

Audio interview BBC, may 2021