The Sardonic Directness of Sophie Calle
Photography by Brigitte Lacombe | Words by the Artist
The French artist, famous for following strangers and photographing people as they sleep, has spent the past several decades attracting celebrity and controversy. Celebrated for a diverse and unconventional oeuvre that includes video, writing, photography and unique, rule-based scenarios, Calle's work is distinguished by its use of arbitrary sets of constraints. Her work frequently depicts human vulnerability and examines identity and intimacy.
A-M Journal spoke to Sophie, and here’s what she had to say…
“I don’t remember a specific pivotal moment in my life. Things just happened. I don't like to share insights into my creative process… My projects slowly develop until they take shape. Impossible to pick up a precise moment. I can’t generalise: each project has its specific éthique. Sometimes I stop a project because it is too anecdotic, sometimes because the game isn't worth the candle, and many other reasons. It’s been a long career, and I don’t remember at all what I imagined when I started in 1979. I could lie to you, but I don’t have the energy.”
Sophie Calle, Room 43, 1981. From “The Hotel.” Courtesy Siglo Press.