Capturing Keelung's Allure in Black and White: Olivier Marceny's Latest Exhibition
Exhibition spotlights Keelung: Snapshots on display
In the heart of Keelung City, at the Keelung Museum of Art, French-born photographer Olivier Marceny showcases his latest collection of black-and-white photos entitled, "26 Seconds of Sun." This captivating exhibit provides a striking portrayal of Keelung's intricate identity, pulling at the city's various strings to weave a picture of its soul.
Tucked away on the second floor of the museum, the exhibit is meant to illuminate the city's layers – from its raw, untouched surrounds to its resilient denizens.
Despite its close proximity to bustling Taipei, Keelung claims a different vibe. It's smaller, quieter, less frequented by foreign tourists, and dominated by its sprawling port and the verdant, mountainous landscape that cradles the town. Marceny identifies this unique ambience as a "sense of compression," remarking on the contrast between the city's role as a gateway and its enigmatic, almost secretive core.
The city's rich history and complex identity are the central focus of this exhibit and are embodied in each carefully composed photograph. Marceny's penchant for architecture is evident in his ability to capture the city's build and form (notably, the port and surrounding hills) with precision and panache. His photos exemplify an architect's eye, exhibiting an aptitude for lines, perspective, and immaculate contrast.
Marceny finds beauty in Keelung's shadows, choosing to work in black and white to create distance and an atmosphere of poetic abstraction. His images provide a platform for viewers to project their own experiences, feelings, and assumptions onto the anonymous figures that populate the frame, framed against lines of concrete steps, road markings, or buildings that almost kiss the earth's edge.
Many of the images feature the city's urban fabric constructed into the steep hills, with buildings huddled against the slopes, steps and ramps leading every which way, and people eking out a living in this vertical marvel. Marceny sought out these architectural tapestries woven into the hills, finding a rhythm in the constant presence of stairs and ramps and the harmony between people and place.
The exhibit presents individual photos grouped in pairs or trios, juxtaposed to create a quasi-Kuleshov effect – a technique that suggests numerous interwoven narratives. One image might show a man on a scooter, contrasted with a picturesque view of buildings climbing the mountains. Another might depict an elderly woman against a weathered coastline. The meaning behind these pairings and others may not be immediately apparent, yet their nuances resurface as the viewer delves deeper into the exhibit and feels connected to Marceny's artistic intent.
Although some photos may appear lacking in focus or standalone appeal, they contribute significantly to the overall flow of the exhibit, fostering a visual rhythm that weaves a rich tapestry of Keelung's past, present, and future.
It is left to the observer to draw their own conclusions and interpretations from Marceny's striking images. Through his lens, Keelung's character comes to life, revealing its myriad complexities and contradictions that speak to a hidden narrative. As the city undergoes its future transformation with growing modernization and urbanization, these photographs may serve as a record of Keelung's rugged charms, capturing the essence of its ancient past in the dark tones of Marceny's prints.
"26 Seconds of Sun" will be showcased at the Keelung Museum of Art until May 25. Admission is free, and the museum is open from 9am to 5pm, closed on Mondays. For more information, visit www.klccab.gov.tw.
References:
[1] Mareceny, Olivier, interview by Lery Hiciano, 2025.[2] News article: "How Keelung manages just 26 seconds of sun in a winter day," Date Unknown.
In the heart of Keelung City, within the realm of home-and-garden, Olivier Marceny's latest black-and-white photography exhibit, 26 Seconds of Sun, floating beautifully on the second floor of the Keelung Museum of Art, paints an exquisite picture of the lifestyle interwoven with the city's architectural masterpieces. This exhibit, a testament to the city's intricate identity, embodies the essence of life in Keelung, from the resilient denizens to its verdant, mountainous landscape.
