Marey and Muybridge were the historical framework and inspiration that has given development to Bernard-Reymond's current practice. Even though it has been a few years since he graduated, he still refers to these noted artists. When asked about the objective of his work, "I like very much the Garry Winogrand sentence about: "I photograph to find out what something looks like photographed. Mainly I take pictures to be able to have a different view on the world, and myself." On an Internet site, Bernard-Reymond was quoted as saying: "I am interested in human behaviour within space, and the traces it leaves therein," I presented him with this quote and asked him4,

VL: If this is true is it present within all of his work? Do you focus on the occurrences in everyday spaces with which we are not normally concerned? The site also commented that you pursue the reality as a photo, not the actual reality, can you please comment on this.

MBR: The only reality you can see in a picture is the surface of the picture, the actual object. The actual reality can only be signified through the image. Regarding the "human behaviour" sentence, yes, I think it is true for most of the works, even if it is sometimes easy to say that a photographic work is about the human/nature relationship. I think it is more accurate to say that my work is about how we as humans try to find a place in the middle of nature.

VL: To me, your work seems to speak of the rapidity and disposable nature of modern life and the alienation that ensues from this exponential speed. Do you consider speed as an appropriate frame of reference when one views your images? Obviously, rapid time exposures are an integral part to photography. Do you feel that your photographs act as a cathartic form of escape from the overwhelming rapidity of modern life or do they act as a representation of this rapidity5?

MBR: Yes, you could say that. Speed is one of the factors that tend to make it even more difficult for people to find a "place to be" in the world. Most of my images are about being in some specific place. I mean, we are all looking for different things in our lives, but one of the main goals we all pursue is to locate ourselves: Where am I? and Where do I belong? To locate oneself is to be able to stop running for a moment and ask questions about what is around us. There are a lot of modern inventions (like the Internet for example, or the so-called "mobility") that are not really helpful for that philosophical need that we all have. And we really have to avoid easy answers like nationalism, and that of artificial "network" creations.

Bernard-Reymond focuses on the questions of- who are we? where are we? where do we belong? for how long? and All addresses within his three categories of work including his portraits, time lapses and digital montage. Presenting these posed questions in straight photography, computer assisted montage, image retouching, 3D rendering and Data manipulation, Bernard-Reymond addresses his subject matter in a way that gives audiences the ability to view the work from a personal perspective6 .

VL: Do you want viewers to experience the work for themselves and create their own meanings of the work? Or do you create the work so that the viewers will interpret it the way you envision it? In the end what do you want the viewers to obtain from your work?

MBR: I think I am doing both. I am radically against the idea that a work should only stand by itself in front of the public. I just think the artist has to know the content and the public of what he/she shows. So I always create a mixture of prepared answers (in the works or around it) as an unsolved mystery for the viewer(s). Mystery is a fundamental notion when it comes to what we can see. From my work I want viewers to achieve a sense of intellectual benefit.

Footnotes:
4 http://www.jmcolberg.com/weblog/archives/001045.html5
5 interview with Christina Gray
6 interview with Vanessa Leech