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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Four: Finding meaning in details > La Vieille Auberge, Mont St. Michel, France, 2004
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31-AUG-2004

La Vieille Auberge, Mont St. Michel, France, 2004

The tiny village at the base of Mont St. Michel, an ancient abbey built into the top of a rock in the English Channel, has fed and housed thousands of pilgrims beginning in the middle ages. Today it hosts thousands of tourists who eat, sleep and shop in its ancient buildings. Mont St. Michel is the second biggest tourist attraction in France, trailing only Paris itself. This old Inn’s café is a popular luncheon spot. I was able to integrate six outdoor tables of diners into the weathered façade of the three story Inn. I made this shot to contrast the details of yesterday to today. The old stone façade, its ancient grillwork and windows, lanterns and dormers, are juxtaposed with a contemporary sign promoting the Inn’s services, the umbrella-shaded tables, and numerous dinners in various stages of lunch, drink, and conversation. They seem oblivious to the history around them. One gets the feeling that they are only temporary, but the building isn’t.

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Phil Douglis24-Dec-2004 17:08
You summed up the meaning here, Nut, in one sentence: "It's the life-time of human and non-human objects." You are made to think about how humans are always coming and going and soon of them will cease to exist. But this building will still be there, large and strong, compared to the small and weak humans who stop before it to eat.
Glad to see this image work on you like this. That's why I made it.
nut 24-Dec-2004 10:43
I see the gap of time between foreground and background here. This ancient building won't match with this present environment. But as I see here they are together. All new things in the foreground seem so small and weak compared with this building. And this is one of many different between the man-made and someone above-made. It's the life-time of human and non-human object. This photo reminded me about life-time. Human life is too short, so noone put their worry inside their pocket and bring to da La Vieille Auberge in France. So they look so fine, but not for all of them.
Phil Douglis09-Dec-2004 20:22
Somehow, Clara, you always manage to infuse my images with new meaning. In my explanation I did say that these diners, umbrellas, etc. were merely temporary visitors -- the building itself will long outlast them. You have added a new layer of understanding to it -- instead of understanding and admiring the gracious past that is all around them, our contemporaries seem all too happy to accept an overlay of what you call "kitsch" as the reality of their experience here.
Guest 09-Dec-2004 17:36
The umbrellas and plastic chairs contrast with the stone and regious style of the old building. The owners had little taste I'd say with that sign, rather kitsch, that imitates a papirus. Your photo asks a question: why we want treasures of the past if we don't know how to admire them?
Phil Douglis24-Oct-2004 17:57
I like your phrase "power of the order," Zebra. It reminds me of the words of the great Master of the Decisive Moment, Henri Cartier Bresson, who says his own work is based on "the recognition of an order." I don't know if you know the work of HCB or not, but you certainly think like he did. HCB also said "In photography you don't think. You act. Photography should be instinctive." And now you come up with almost the same words! Incredible. And yes, Zebra, you are certainly right. Eventually all serious, passionate photographers develop a spontaneous instinctive response to a potential image.
Guest 24-Oct-2004 16:26
When I see a good photo with lots of details,sometimes I call it "power of the order".
The rectangle windows,the triangle windows,the white umbrellas,the people on chairs,the pink board in the middle,they are all in order. But there must be something out of order,the shadow in the left and the wall in the righ. And you give this photo a very firm structure,3 windows,5 windows,and more people under many umbrellas.From up to down,from less to more.
I guess you did not think so much when you photographed.It is a instinct as a photographer.Am I right?
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