STUDIO BREINER HOUSE
BY CHARLES SARRAZIN
Charles Sarrazin was the winner of the second edition of SCOPIO International Photobook Contest and, as the name implies, it was directed towards the creation of an Artist Photobook, which also involves the visual definition of a concept. Titled 'Crossing Borders Shifting Boundaries: City', this contest was focused on diverse countries and on how the migratory movements have influenced the places and people (identities) of those territories. In search of new talents, the jury awarded the photobook "Studio Breiner House".
"Studio Breiner House"
The photographer gives us interestingly detailed insight into the Breiner House, where Erasmus students use to live together during their stay in the city centre of Porto. Charles Sarrazin - a French Erasmus student - created this photobook and called it 'Studio Breiner House' because he not only lived in this large old house, but also used it simultaneously as his studio. The simple black & white photographs - views inside the house and views from there towards the city - combined with text notes give the viewer a first concentrated impression of the very special living space of Erasmus students in Porto today. In the second part of the book, we see the subjects themselves, intense portraits of the students, all in the same format and with the same focused dark background. The last chapter finally changes into colour, and the movement changes from a more documentary style at the beggining to a subjective stage-managed, lively kind of photography.