Marc Elisabeth (1992) is constantly in search of the unimaginable. According to the artist, incomprehensible scenes create a sense of mysticism. Often intuitively, he takes photographs to help him get to grips with reality. In this way he creates fragmented stories with images that may be absurd (a spaghetti-filled lap), poetic (a deceased kingfisher), or deadly serious (medical equipment in a hospital room). The exact logic of these stories remains unknown to everyone. That sense of mystery is intriguing.
The work shown at Prospects, A problem so great, it dragged her asleep (2023), seems to be a departure from Elisabeth’s usual style in his relatively young body of work. Not only because the whole thing has clearly been staged, but also because of its shape: a triptych. The work feels emotionally charged, almost religious, like an altar piece. The artist based the work on the aftermath of a family trauma, creating it as an homage to his mother. Without revealing what exactly happened, the images evoke feelings of heavy-heartedness, loss and sadness.
Text: Esther Darley
Translation from Dutch to English: Marie Louise Schoondergang