In a 1941 short story, the Argentine author and librarian Jorge Luis Borges wrote about the Library of Babel, which contained all the books that could ever exist. Franck Bohbot’s photographs suggest a similar dizzying vastness, with rows of shelves seemingly disappearing into infinity. In his House of Books project, the French photographer elevates the spaces to become palaces of knowledge.
Bohbot is drawn to public spaces: other projects focus on swimming pools, theaters, and train stations. “I’m interested in photographing places where humans study, work, play and live regardless of whether it is an ordinary or a spectacular environment,” he says. “My body of work looks at different places from Brooklyn barbershops to the cinemas of California. I find it interesting as a photographer to have different subjects and use the same composition, techniques and palette of colors.”
Biblioteca Vallicelliana, Rome
Bohbot began photographing libraries in 2012. “I find the architecture of these places of knowledge very powerful,” he says. “I consider myself a colorist in terms of photography. It means finding the right places, with the available light, looking for the composition, considering the color, and giving the photograph my own identity.”
BnF, site François-Mitterrand, Paris
Bohbot tends to photograph the libraries when they are closed. “The emptiness of everyday spaces out of hours gives a timeless atmosphere, and allows the audience to imagine what happened there,” he says. “I like the silence of those places.”
Bibliothèque de l’Hôtel de Ville, Paris
Although his photographs have a haunting quality similar to images of abandoned buildings, Bohbot sees them as distinct. “I find the subject of photographing ruins interesting; it is about history and memory,” he says. “I don’t like it when urban ruins become a trend, though. I like architecture which is alive, too, which is still functioning, then photographing the space without people can conjure up an atmosphere that is melancholic and mysterious.”
Biblioteca Angelica, Rome
Bohbot describes his work as drawing on “what the industrial landscape-typology pioneers Bernd and Hilla Becher created in terms of composition” and “the ‘Americana’ approach of photographers and painters like Edward Hopper, Stephen Shore, and Fitz Hugh Lane in terms of color and nostalgia. I think I am more influenced by cinematographers and painters than photographers.”
Bibliothèque du Sénat, Paris
While he is photographing buildings, Bohbot does not aim for a clinical representation of reality. “Architectural photography has changed a lot in the past few years,” he says. “I report something of course, what I have in front of me, but I like to suggest an atmosphere somewhere between documentary, reality and fiction. I do not use HDR or new digital techniques. Sharpness is important, but not too much.”
Bibliothèque Interuniversitaire de la Sorbonne, Paris
Bohbot does not have a favorite image, but claims he has “a crush on the Bibliothèque Interuniversitaire de la Sorbonne”. This photo reflects his use of color. “I prefer yellow and turquoise, warm instead of a cold interior architecture. I like to create my own color with the available light and the background that I have in front of me.”
Bibliothèque Mazarine, Paris
The photographer pinpoints this image as one of the most difficult to capture. “I wanted to reproduce the exact same wood, color, and texture that I saw, and it was hard because the place was dark. I want to show some respect to the architect and the place, so it's important to be careful about that.”
Boston Public Library, Boston, Massachusetts
Bohbot has, so far, focused on libraries in Paris and Rome, but is keen to shoot buildings in other parts of the world. “The next libraries will be the Fleet Library in Providence, Rhode Island, the Bapst Library in Boston, Massachusetts, then the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Other libraries in Europe and the UK are on my list, too,” he says. “I am taking my time for this series, because it's important to not be in a rush and organize a shoot as soon as I receive permission and botch this work. It will take years.”
Rico says it's a glorious project; presumably there'll be a book...
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