"I have no talent, but I have the talent of others," declared the impresario of the Ballets Russes, Serge de Diaghilev, who successfully brought together the likes of Picasso, Coco Chanel, and Nijinsky. This quote can be aptly applied to our artist, Alexandre Joseph Elkouby. Since our friendly and creative encounter in 2001, I have observed that he possesses both his own talent and the talent of others. And he expresses this talent in an eclectic, humanistic, and multifaceted manner in each of the disciplines he practices, with a key.


Just like the symbol of the open lock leading to Pandora's Box in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive, Alexandre's work, whether in painting, drawing, photography, or film, functions by breaking the barriers. His brush, camera, and film equipment are used in a way that immerses us in his unique universe, woven with intimate poetry, powerful dreamlike elements, and ultimately, a rising symphony of symbolism that I would compare to Odilon Redon, particularly in his canvases. He captures the most hidden emotions with a sense of modesty in his photography, and his cinematic creations, whether documentaries or fictional works, are rhythmically intertwined with music, offering a pure and communicative peace and sense of shared experience.


Thus, we have both talent and the talent of others. Alexandre knows how to shed light on the buried part of our eternal childhood desires, both his own and ours. Through his strokes of the pencil, brush, as well as zooms and long takes, Alexandre teaches us to commune with the blessed dimension of the world, the beauty of life, in its details which he invites us to rediscover. Moreover, he conveys the communicative joy of our interactions. He captures the moments of grace in our love affairs, in those moments where everything shifts towards serenity, even sometimes by delving into the abyss of our fears - as defined by the Sublime according to Burke, inspired by Longinus.


Although this quality may appear simple, even clear and effortless in the results of his artistic efforts, it arises from his faith that guides his path. In the words of Nietzsche, it is also due to "great patience," which demanded that Beethoven revise his musical scores a thousand and one times, a thousand and one nights. Thus, as our contemplative Scheherazade, Alexandre offers us the promise of building a new world by following him on his creative journey, akin to the biblical substitution of the old man with the perpetual fascination of youth.


Therefore, this eclecticism of techniques is always illuminated by the symbol of hope. This is not a coincidence, for as I repeat, "nothing great in the world is achieved without passion," paraphrasing Hegel. And for passion to be accomplished, as it is here through the patience of the brush, the freeze-frame, and the smooth transitions of long takes, time and patience are needed. Could the length of time be a guarantee of an advantage over the dark period we are currently traversing? Fiat Lux - May the Light return.


Bérengère Alfort,

Doctor of Nietzschean Philosophy, Author, Screenwriter, Artistic Advisor.