Photobook Review: Mihai Barabancea - Rescrierea Secventei/Overriding Sequence

Photobook Review: Mihai Barabancea – Rescrierea Secventei/Overriding Sequence

· by · in , , , , ,

I received this photobook for a short review and met the author. You can tell when a project is very important to the author if he want to personally explain what was going on.

The project – 4 year in the making – comes in a very interesting package and superb finishing touches: from the gold-sprayed sides to the binding and the simple yet enticing cover. Very elegant and somehow hiding the content one is about to see. When you open the book you get to read about 7 pages of text and I must admit I didn’t read them in the first-look.

In the first photo – none other than Elvis leading the viewer through a portal so he/she would then begin the journey and overriding the sequence. A rabbit hole made out of wood with a touch of fake Vegas glam. The whole book concept is one of a slideshow, each photo strictly related to the previous one in terms of story. Taken individually they make no sense, even though there are some stunning portraits that could very well stand-alone in an exhibition. And as all stories, there is good and there is bad so expect some shocking photos as you get to pass through different symbolic plains of existence.

By shooting this whole project on film the author didn’t care much for megapixels and sharpness but focused more on raw emotions and symbols. Sometimes when looking at the book you feel the need to go back a few pages and review the previous photos not to miss any hidden meanings. This might be a minus in our current society obsessed of everything fast and “on a plate”. If you don’t have the patience for deciphering symbols maybe this journey is not for you.

The author manages to lead us, unseen, alongside these paths. In some parts the author is more obvious in his directions. Just like any road, sometimes trails in the mud are there to be followed. Sometimes the road is very clear. But all the time, in this photobook, the road you are following is very well defined and you really cannot wander off. So you ride through surreal social scenery, colorful people, mundane situations, birth, death, hell, and just a bit of heaven to let you see the light of hope.

Enjoy your journey!

Cristian Bassa

Rescrierea_Secventei_Barabancea_Ghiu__1_ Rescrierea_Secventei_Barabancea_Ghiu__2_ Rescrierea_Secventei_Barabancea_Ghiu__3_ Rescrierea_Secventei_Barabancea_Ghiu__4_ Rescrierea_Secventei_Barabancea_Ghiu__5_ Rescrierea_Secventei_Barabancea_Ghiu__6_ Rescrierea_Secventei_Barabancea_Ghiu__7_Rescrierea_Secventei_Barabancea_Ghiu__8_
RESCRIEREA SECVENTEI
OVERRIDING SEQUENCE
Mihai Barabancea
Asociatia pentru Arta Ilfoveanu
november 2014
256 pages offset color
number of pictures 119
size 16×21 cm
Romanian/English
ISBN 978-973-0-17862-3
Edition: 500 copies
Price: 160 lei

*photos from this review were provided by the author and shot by Nicu Ilfoveanu

(RO)
Teaser: http://vimeo.com/119560721
Lansare Carte: Miercuri, 4 Martie, ora 18:30 – 22:30, Cinema Elvira Popescu, Mihai Barabancea / Bogdan Ghiu & Invitatii lor.  FB event link: http://www.facebook.com/events/1415273118770507/

Concurs:
Oitzarisme.ro impreuna cu Mihai Barabancea, autorul cartii, va ofera cadou un exemplar cu autograf al cartii “Rescrierea Secventei/Overriding Sequence”. Tot ce trebuie sa faceti este sa accesati Pagina de Facebook Oitzarisme http://www.facebook.com/Oitzarisme si sa dati Distribuie/Share postarii cu acest photobook review pana in data de 3 Martie orele 20:00. Mihai va alege prin tragere la sorti folosind random.org castigatorul, acesta va putea primi cartea in data de 4 Martie la lansarea cartii sau ulterior prin posta. Multa bafta!