The exhibition 2 ¼ by Trois-Rivières photographer Robert Myrand will be presented at Factrie 701 from September 9th. A vernissage in the presence of the artist will take place on September 10th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
“I am a photographer by nature and taste. By default, you can sing, dance, or draw. And a fondness for magic, because once upon a time photography was truly magical! We put a sheet in the developer and the image appeared,” points out Robert Myrand.
“I was working in an office, then honestly I got bored and I thought about what I could do to express myself… I stopped photography because there is both an artistic and scientific side that interests me . So I decided to sell my aquarium and buy a 2 ¼ camera and then take photos,” he laughs. This is how Robert Myrand began his career as a photographer in 1969.
His first camera was therefore a 2 ¼ film. The special feature of this camera was that it had two lenses and a large film (120 mm).
He says he recently got a new 2 ¼ camera. “In April 2023, I bought a new 2 ¼ camera and it is very funny because it is a Hong Kong-made plastic camera with a Russian lens. Because the device is made of plastic, it lets in light from anywhere, he adds [d’autant plus que son objectif est de plastique aussi], we therefore emphasize the shortcomings. We’re not concerned with precision. Since I’m doing black and white, we tend to look for shades of gray.”
(Photo courtesy of Robert Myrand)
The exhibition brings together photographs of this new camera as well as around ten 35 mm images in a kind of retrospective. “We call the last picture presented Modern Life and it is digital.”
At 75, Robert Myrand recognizes that there were more difficult times in his career as a photographer, which is why he also worked as a printer, translator and teacher. The fact is that the Trifluvien has taken part in more than 80 exhibitions in Quebec and elsewhere in the world. Some of his photographs are also part of the collections of the National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec, the city of Trois-Rivières and several others.
His 2 ¼ exhibition will be held throughout September as part of Photo Month at Factrie 701. Visit the Factrie 701 website for more information.