“If my images just show the event happening in front of me, the meaning of it will die when the event dies. For my pictures to be preserved in time, they had to be more symbolic.” Fouad Elkoury
Preserving Time is the first exhibition in the Print Sales Gallery of work by acclaimed Lebanese photographer and filmmaker Fouad Elkoury (b. France, 1952.) Elkoury's photographic work portrays the turbulent past of the Middle East as well as daily life in the present. His work captures the devastation and chaos of conflict, alongside the mundanity of daily life, resilience, and moments of joy.
Elkoury currently lives between Paris, where he was born, and Beirut where he spent his formative years. In the late seventies Elkoury studied architecture in London, and although he turned to photography soon after graduating, an affinity for liminal space and appreciation for the architectural fabric of a city is evident throughout his powerful images.
Elkoury first came to international recognition with his intimate photographs of daily life during the early years of the Lebanese Civil War. The brutality of this conflict eventually pushed Elkoury to move to France in the 1980s, where he joined the renowned Rapho Agency. He later embarked on a journey to retrace the steps of 19th century writers Flaubert and Du Camp in Egypt. The series, Suite Egyptienne, is one of many examples in which Elkoury embodies the roles of photographer and novelist simultaneously, exploring memory in relation to territorial debates and shifting politics. In 1991, Elkoury returned to Beirut along with renowned photographers Robert Frank, Josef Koudelka, and others, charged with capturing the ultimate image of the city centre's ruins. This body of work formed Elkoury’s most famous series, Beirut City Centre.
Elkoury's distinctive approach boldly departs from traditional photojournalistic techniques in order to represent and reflect on the quieter realities of everyday life in the spectre of conflict. His images are marked by a defiantly poetic sensibility and a deep appreciation for the resilience of people and the landscapes affected.
Inket prints are available to purchase, from between £2,700 - £12,000 + VAT. All profits from print sales supports The Photographers' Gallery's public programme. Please enquire for further information.
