Paul Kirps

Show & Culture

After Time 0 and Instant Choices, this is already the third exhibition in Luxembourg where Paul Kirps dedicates himself to the Polaroid format. Following the exhibitions at the Neumünster Abbey and the Theater Gallery in Esch-sur-Alzette, this new endeavor refers to a place that holds a very special position in the artist's journey. As if at the end of a journey, these small-format works seem to have finally found their place in the heart of the City of Image, a significant locale in photography. For years, Paul Kirps has stood in opposition to the cliché of the banal souvenir photography still associated, in some minds, with the Polaroid. He appreciates the immediacy and honesty of this analog medium, which allows for no filters or subsequent retouching in Photoshop. With their iconic white frame, these small square images appear as windows or portals through which time, memory, and perception acquire new meanings. These qualities have attracted many major artists such as Andy Warhol, Lee Friedlander, or Wim Wenders. David Hockney is undoubtedly one of the most important references for Paul Kirps, just like Edward Steichen, who only discovered this medium at the end of his life. The latter seems to close the loop of a particularly significant journey for the artist because Clervaux holds a unique place in his personal history. This place exerts a strange allure. A fascinating blend of medieval mysteries, a castle, an abbey, foggy valleys, The Family of Man, and a high-end tourist offering: For Paul Kirps, however, it's not merely an exotic discovery. He spent part of his youth there. Two years ago, he returned for a summer to create a monumental fresco at the Edward Steichen High School. Clervaux seems to possess this strange power to bring people back. Welcome to Twin Peaks.