Les objectales by Denis Malartre

The book is in French & English

Denis Malartre, an atypical and visionary figure, embarked on a quest to reinvent the photographic medium long before contemporary reflections on this subject gained traction. In the 1980s, as photography evolved with the introduction of color and the growing influence of contemporary art, Malartre chose a radically different path. His series titled Les Objectales, created between 1986 and 1987, reflects his rejection of narrative, representation, and photographic tradition in favor of an abstract and conceptual exploration of the medium.

By isolating himself in an empty apartment for two years, Malartre adopted a rigorous experimental approach. He deconstructed photographic conventions, relying on minimal compositions, plays of shadow and light, and everyday materials. He rejected the technical possibilities offered by the camera and developed deliberately stripped-down images, seeking to distill photography to its essence. This work, influenced by the Supports/Surfaces movement and artists such as Nicolas de Staël, reveals a profound reflection on the materiality of the image.

Despite the significance and uniqueness of his work, Malartre was misunderstood during his lifetime. In 1988, when he sent Les Objectales to a publisher, he received no response. Disappointed but resigned, he locked away his corpus, convinced that his era was not ready to embrace such conceptual photography. It was only at the end of his life, in 2017, that he expressed regret: that he had not showcased his work earlier, fully aware of its groundbreaking contribution to the history of photography.

Today, Les Objectales stands out as a pioneering work at the crossroads of debates on the nature of photography. By freeing himself from market expectations and the trends of his time, Malartre created photography for its own sake, devoid of narrative or aesthetic purpose. His work powerfully questions the limits and possibilities of the medium, asserting the independence of the image from all forms of conventional representation or use.