YVES BRUMAIRE
French photgrapher1941-2001.
Born to expatriate parents, Yves Brumaire always had a taste for travel … or escape… He travelled and lived in many countries. Passionate about cinema, his Parisian youth is lulled by the dialogues of Godard’s films. In 1969, he followed the troupe of the Théâtre du Soleil, directed by Ariane Mnouchkine – after leaving the Cirque de Montmartre, the Théâtre du Soleil joined forces with the Théâtre de la Commune and chose to create the show «Clowns», photographed by Yves Brumaire. So far, these works have only been presented at the announcement of the show, and on the occasion of one other modest exhibition, in South Africa, some fifteen years later… Yves Brumaire disappeared in 2001 at the age of 60, without ever having dared to cross the stage of exhibiting his work during his lifetime. Numerous portraits will follow after the Clowns, then some commissioned works for press (landscapes of all the countries he travelled), to his images of deserts, which will be his very last series.
He leaves behind him a rich, but mysterious and hitherto hidden work (he himself destroyed many of his negatives). Sixteen years after his death, his second wife sent more than 6 kg of unpublished negatives and writings to the youngest daughter of Yves Brumaire. Passionate about her father’s story, her daughter discovered thousands of photos, showing an evident talent, as well as being ignored and unacknowledged.
