Photopaper 03
Jean-Christian Bourcart

“J.C. is not afraid of the dark.
It is where he needs to travel.
He digs increasingly deeper into the “dark night of the soul”.
He can see in the dark.
Ever trespassing what is most taboo to most. The murk that
allows anonymity. Faceless even to each other.
His work feeds on risk, not always respecting that anonymity.
The hidden camera in the paper bag in the br othels,
the mystery of an invisible camera in a nude body, when he
engaged – or not – in the activities he w as surrounded by.
The work neither erotic nor pornographic.
No judgment, no shock, no mockery
He accepts any form of sexuality w/o question,
the struggle in the photos – the bodies piled
into one body,
the need for punishment, the search for some kind of
redemption in the skanky cellars covered with cum and
condoms and piss and blood.
One night at the Hellfire I suddenly realized
that there was nothing erotic or exotic in this cave –
it was more like a mall in New Jersey – mundane
like violence.
Sex clubs allow choice – in the brothel the woman has no
choice, the choice is in the hands of the johns and the poc kets
of the pimps.
The Man hooked up still maintains a choice
even if he has forgotten; even if driven
by powers he could never name.
An Inferno but sometimes his
pictures come closer to a notion
of heaven – the orange turns gold.
Man’s crawling in the bottom to search for
some way to feel thru all the numbness,
some way to connect even within
the strictest construct.
Masters + Slaves never have names.” – Nan Goldin
(source: https://photopaper.world/portfolio-item/03-jean-christian-bourcart/)

About the Journal
PHOTOPAPER is a new kind of monographic photo publication with a continuously changing editorial team of international experts. These guest editors name photographers or photographic projects which they would like to present to an international public. PHOTOPAPER features this work in single monographic issues of 16 or 32 pages. The main idea is to make high-quality printed photographic work accessible to as many people as possible by producing the final publication at a reasonable price. Therefore, the production process is reduced to a minimum while at the same time using high-end printing technology and a nice paper. Published on a quarterly basis.
(source: https://photopaper.world/about/)

About the Publisher
The Fotobookfestival Kassel is a charitable foundation that has been engaged with the artistic medium of the photobook and has presented it in all its facets, since 2008, in a festival program of international standing. The annual festival shows works by renowned artists and promotes established and emerging talents, publishers, designers, printers, curators and booksellers on an international platform. It was the first festival of its kind dedicated to the photographic book and has founded two novel book awards: The KASSEL DUMMY AWARD for the best photobook mock-up of the year has awarded emerging talents a complete photobook-production since 2010; the KASSEL PHOTOBOOK AWARD assembles the best photobooks of the previous year nominated by international experts in the field. Books entered for both awards are showcased regularly in travelling exhibitions at international festivals and photography events. These two awards are unique in their formats and have been role models for other international festivals and events.
fotobookfestival.org
(source: https://fotobookfestival.org/fotobookfestival-kassel/)