When the London based photographer, Tim Flach, came out with his lavish tome, ‘Equus’, he was compared to some of the greatest equine painters of our times. Modest and unassuming, horses are just a chapter in Flach’s career, though they were always a part of his life.

By Camilla Alfthan

”BOTH MY PARENTS were passionate about horses. My father played polo, just as my brother, and my mother used to hunt. It was very much part of my growing up,” tells Tim Flach during our conversation about horses and photography. Famous for his arresting images of animals Flach’s studio is far from the Noah’s Ark that one might expect. He only has two cats and he never really went riding.

“I was just a child trying to do things told by my step mother, mucking out and cleaning the stables, strewing them the hay; that physical kind of connection.  I was that kind of generation where the kids weren’t given too much opportunity, I was just there to help out. I wasn’t given riding lessons or any of that sort but I always enjoyed being around the horses. I think they are very sensitive to the energy around them and I think that I’m fairly quiet and fairly neutral and I have great respect for them.

The people we rented our house from had a large library with images. The lady there was a world renowned botanist, so seeing all these wonderful creatures and the combination of being on an estate that had a lot of forest all affected the outcome of what I did.”

 A race horse at track work before sun rise.

HORSES IN HISTORY

”One thing about photographing horses like the halter horses and the wild horses that I did so many of in Mongolia, is that it’s not necessary to ride them to be observant of them. There’s a difference between riding the horse as a pleasure horse and the history of the horse which is a lot less sympathetic to the animals’ interest.

We think of pleasure horses as extensions of pets. But they were used in situations where people would wear a horse down as they do a car today. So the sentiment we have today is hugely different than a generation back. Horses are so deeply rooted in our culture with the the paleolithic case of Portugal and Spain. If we look to art so much is related to the equine subject because they were hunting the horse for food but they also knew the anatomy of the horse better than we do because they were dismantling it and using every part. Then equitation came about from the Corinthians to the Athenians..

If you’re interested in culture you cannot separate the horse and us. It’s such a deep heritage, so rooted in our history.

Today you don’t see it so much in modern art and that’s a huge change.  And yet our language is still peppered with equestrian references whether we’re talking about horse power, or whatever; we’re constantly using words that are linked to the equestrian universe. We almost forget it as it is such an important part of our language.”

 The horses of the vikings still roam freely in Iceland. 

AUTHENTICITY

”Today, we’ve got more understanding of animals than ever before. We can watch rhinos at night, a hunting sequence of wild dogs until the final kill from some micro light. We know animals better than we virtually ever have before. But, in actuality, we have never been more separated.

We know animals better than we virtually ever have before. But, in actuality, we have never been more separated.

It’s a a conumdrum that may come to haunt us because as we separate ourselves from the horses in our mechanistic lifestyles who knows what it sets up? And because it is all happening so fast we can’t know the consequences of it.
My seven-year old son going to the i-pad and not integrating socially as much as previous generations would have done to go off and play football…We don’t know the consequences of this.

In that sense, the role of the horse is not much different than before. Racing hasn’t changed much. It’s about pleasure that changes the dynamics. There’s the whole thing about the health benefits of owning a dog, or having that sense of freedom that a horse might offer.
There’s a general shift in our understanding of animals in our space.
We’re going through these changes that are unique to our generations. I don’t want to sound moralistic but certainly there are many challenges out there.”

From Tim Flach’s latest book ‘Endangered’.

EQUUS

”When I made my Equus book I decided I’d rather look at the horse than the culture around it, the people elements which are a totally different matter. Though the different breeds of the horse have become cultures in the sense that we shaped them.

We were quite responsible for why we’ve got a chihuahua and a Great Dane and like we speak of genetics, we do shape the form of the horse according to the functions we need them for.

Those who did not suit us like the Przewalskis were pushed away to the Gobi desert. Even the wild mustangs are managed in some way. When they capture them they will release stallions that they want to breed and cull others that are less commercially of interest. When I went to the round ups they put back stallions with nice colour marks.

The dish of the Egyptian halter has become more exaggerated. In the Haflinger story, I went to were the best breeding place. They were quite dark over a hundred years ago and now theyre quite pale because they’re breeding them for aestetics rather than for function. They are still very effective for the mountains, but more to take a tourist up to the mountain than work for a farmer. So my images show how the horse was desired in 2007. In another 50 years it may have moved on again.

I felt the horse was so deeply rooted in our country that I wanted to explore it. Once you start such a journey you trip over things that are interesting. So the question was who would represent the different types of horses and their roles. As a progenitive to a lot of breeds was the Arabs, so I’d start there, and that gave me a lot of opportunities but I also wanted a general overview and represent certain areas.
I was playing it by inquiery of what people would tell me and some of it was led by an overview.
I tried to cover all the areas that I thought would represent the Arabian horse. I wanted to go back to where the horse came from, rather than photograph it in Poland or Sweden, though, ironically, the bloodlines have come back recently from Europe. The way the horse was formed by the desert, its hooves..I wanted to show that and it felt right. I wouldn’t photograph a poor Shetland pony in a hot climate where they have all sorts of challenges given their double coats.”

FRAGMENTS OF TIME

”One of the roles of photography should be to extend the experiences around the subject matter. That could be several different respects. It could just be geographical. Who would go to Shetland to see the pony, or who would go to Norway and see a fjord horse? So that is one thing; to show evidence of the landscape that molded the shape of those breeds.
The other thing is sometimes to show details that you couldn’t normally observe – catch a movement to suspend a moment in time. It might be looking at a horse shaking and the way the hair moves. It could be a horse jump – or in the case of the Arab going down the track, you can observe the way the bit is in the mouth. Certain details because it is captured.
But it is also the idea of the stylization. I’m not trying to compete with event photography but to shift the experience which, ironically, because it is shifting away from the familiar, engages you.
So photography’s role should be to engage the viewer by fragmenting a moment of the time or simply the detail that can be brought through.”

Dogs followed Flach’s equestrian tome.

GOING OUT AND SHOOTING IT

”I normally pick my subjects and I may have four days to do them, and then I distill it down to a few images so it explains something. So if I go away to India to do the Marwari horse, I want to show its ears and a few other details that explain the uniqueness of that breed. So whether I go to Rajasthan or just outside London I have to limit it in practical terms.

I probably shoot two or three pictures a day that I end up using. Sometimes six pictures a day or just one.
I can’t afford the luxury to not use them at all. There might be occasions where I’d like to go back and revisit to take it further but not often. It’s not like I shoot thousands of pictures and only select a few, I kind of home in on what I want to do.
My advertising background may have influenced me in the sense that I need to come back with something. The fact that I use flash means I can overcome some of the elements that may have stopped me. I could have a grey day and a rather dull white sky and I could light it to make it a moody sky, so I did use my technical skills to make things go somewhere. Surprisingly the horses don’t react much to the flash. I’m more concerned about flapping or something behind them that they cannot see.

In Mongolia it was just myself and a guide. In the fjords I went alone. I’d been there in the winter, picked my routes because it would be difficult to get around. In Iceland we went with Animal Planet and we had to cover quite a lot of ground without any production, so I took quite a few people out there. Usually I’ll go with one assistant on most of the jobs.  But then when we went to a place like the Emirates a lot of people voluntered to try and corral the horses so you end up with a dozen people for the day who help out, who are linked to the yard or friends of friends.”

Rearing in the desert.

CREATING YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES

”Favorite photographs and favorite times don’t usually link. I remember being with one of the cousins of the maharadja in this crumbled down palace having tea. In Iceland looking at the midnight, photographing horses through icebergs. The cowboys in the Rocky’s having breakfast. Walking 50 miles a day in the Hustai National Park chasing the Przewalski horses because there were no roads. I have different memories not always related so much to the actual pictures.

I think you have to be up for the adventure because that’s part of it all. To create your own experiences that you want to have and allow the opportunity to find new things, really. I so enjoyed meeting the people. Once you start aquiring the understanding it’s great sharing that passion and interest with the people that are passionate about what they do. I always found that electric – being around people who have a passion about something in their life. I always found that so exiting and rewarding.
I found myself talking and having a great time with some sheikh who had to go off to rule some other country in the afternoon; or talking to someone about a trotter, it’s just quite surreal, because it gives you an entry to so many different people that you wouldn’t otherwise have a reason to meet.
I love that chance to be able to meet and have a common ground with people from all over the world and to share something. I was accepted because I shared their passion.”

PEOPLE’S PERCEPTIONS

”Instead of differences I found communalities, they all felt their horse was the oldest and purest. Everyone wanted in a sense to claim their right to a uniquess of their breed. They were so proud of it and of the exponents of their virtues.

When I work with people I like to hear their thoughts about the pictures I take as it is from there that I start to learn things.
I’ll ask someone; ’Tell me what it is that you look for in your Arabian show horse’ and he’ll say; ’I want to see a kind eye, I want to see a muzzle that will fit in the palm of my hands. I want to see the crested neck.’
I ask the question rather than assuming because I dont have much knowledge. So it’s great to hear it from those people who were passionate.
What they desire and what it is that is special to them. If I’ve got to touch other people I’ve got to be interested in what is it that others will ressonate with when they look at those pictures.”

INTIMACY AND UNUSUAL ANGLES

”As an owner of a dog or a cat you have that proximity, you’re much closer. That intimacy – I hope my abstracts create that ambiguity, that they leave a space as well.

In my book, I tried to show the horse in it’s environment, and also, I didn’t show any tack because I wanted to show the horse without making too much reference back to humans.

The horses that wore masks and helmets after anesthesia were more about showing a history and an investment in the horse. The utilizing of the horse, war fare. They’re also ambiguous. I like the fact that you don’t know what it is, the head protector – it looks like he’s going into a boxing ring.”

DEBATES AND WONDERMENT

”There’s definitely a migration of words to images.
Ironically, we started with images from our experiences, and then word became the abstract symbol to interpret it, and now we’re not of the sensuous side of it anymore, we’re going back to images as a kind of idiom that suits the communication age.
Some territories are breaking down where language might get in the way. Though context sometimes is lost and words are needed.

In my early images there was a neck of a horse which was like a mountain. That resonates with me today. I recently had a series published by Stern, and I reworked an image with the knowledge I have now. My skills have moved on since I did Equus. I’m much more able to manage images in different ways so my images are much improving because of that. I feel like I’ve moved along quite a long way since then. I could reinterpret anything I shot.

The photo of the horse in the window in the stable still works for me. The embryo series still are among the images I find interesting. I think when you see it you know the potential. You don’t know until you find it.

The questions is what we do with our continuous isolation from place and nature, and what that sets out in the future.

Pictures are interesting when they bring up different debates. One thing is the wonderment of the horse, and the fact that embryos follow certain patterns similar to other species. So day 35, the embryo almost looks like a human baby. At another level, it points towards the management of the horses, particularily in Arabians or polo ponies, the fact that most commonly transferable single embryos are horses or humans.

It brought up economic debate as well as ethic and the wonderment of the horse. When you get to that they become more interesting. I think my interest has moved in the years since I was doing Equus.
What I find interesting is those debates about how we manage animals. The perceptual questions about what they understand about us.

The questions is what we do with our continuous isolation from place and nature, and what that sets out in the future.  The relationship we have with animals is continuous and something you cant just change in a few generations. The being around animals.
But we are definitely visiting a new period which is very unusual in our history, where populations are huge and we’re reaping our planet on a scale never seen before.
As humans we’re always a derivative of what we take. We can look at nature wishfully and be inspired by it.
Wonderment is very important. I’d like to make images where I catch a meaning with it for a museum where it can be considered. Voices to bear on people out there who are more knowledgeable about this than I am.”

HORSES AND HERITAGE

”Every country has a horse that is very symbolic of their country. And people are passionate about preserving it as something that represents their heritage, whether it is agricultural or something else.

My interest and structure has become more and more inspired by painters and my compositions have changed quite a lot.
It’s quite an honour to be compared to Stubbs, I appreciate his commitment. He spent a lifetime making his works. But it is nice to know that I’m part of continuing this culture of imagery around horses.

I think I tend to look broadly at this culture. The horse in the window with the chestnut coat – I was very much conscious of George Stubb’s Whistlejacket that was an influential painting.
Initially, I wanted to go out in the open where you have the falcon and the camel, the saluki and that whole historical link, to look at that heritage, but because of some events where the horses were moved around in the royal yards, they didn’t have them.

If I’d done what I wanted to do I could have gone on a few more years. I feel I only touched on it. Equus represented a period of two years when I was doing others things, and there were some images that went back some years. I’d love to have spent more time and done something more serious.”  ©

HOME    Archives

“You know, some people have no imagination,” said the Swiss explorer, Bertrand Piccard when I met him and his co-pilot, André Borschberg at the Solar Impulse HQs in Lausanne.   Both wrote history when they flew around the globe in their solar powered plane without using as much as a single drop of fuel.  No one thought it was possible though the techniques they employed had already been invented.   Now the work continues with The World Alliance for Efficient Solutions with the aim to find 1,000 solutions for a greener, and cleaner, future.

By Camilla Alfthan    

CA VOUS FAIS quoi de voir les images de votre tour du monde après avoir été isolé dans l’avion?  

BERTRAND PICCARD : Ca nous ramènent immédiatement dans les émotions, l’ambiance et l’atmosphère. Quand on est dans le cockpit c’est un moment magique. On voit les moteurs qui tournent uniquement par l’energie solaire. Il n’y a pas de pollution, pas de bruit et c’est la realité – c’est même pas la science fiction.
Mais il faut pas croire qu’on est complètement isolés. En même temps on est en relation avec du monde entier par téléphone satellite avec l’équipe à Monaco, avec les interviews et avec l’autre pilote qui ne vole pas. Donc c’est jamais monotone, c’est toujours fantastique.

ANDRE BORSCHBERG : On a le temps aussi. On est pas sous la pression d’arriver à une heure déterminée. Le but c’est d’arriver avec cette énergie là, et c’est pas important si on prend un jour de plus. C’est l’un des rares moments où on a pu vivre le présent et où on est vraiment dans ce que l’on fais; c’est le mindfulness. C’est un luxe et c’est une découverte aussi.
C’était aussi un tour avec des défis.
BP : Il y a eu tellement des moments sur le sol où c’était vraiment difficile, où on attendait le météo et savait pas, on attendait les autorisations techniques qui venaient pas et il y avait des problèmes techniques. Au sol c’était pénible. Le contraste avec le moment où on décolle, quand on se trouve dans la beauté de la nature avec cet avion completement écologique…c’était magique!
AB : Il fallait décoller pour cela et c’est vrai que le suspense de décoller ou pas décoller étais tel qu’il arrivait des fois trois minutes avant décollage que on a decidé de pas aller. Pas parce que on avait pas le technique mais parceque l’on se dit, “non, c’est pas le bon moment”, il faut savoir renoncer. Quand on était en l’air c’est là où on se dit vraiment,”Maintenant, c’est partie!“.

BP : Un vol Solar Impulse n’existe dès que l’avion est en air, et à la fin du vol quand l’avion est rangée dans le hangar. Parce que tout peut arriver au sol.
Vous avez eu la chance..
BP : Nous avon eu la chance mais aussi beaucoup de complications. Quand le hangar mobile s’est dégonflé par dessus Solar Impulse, quand André était au Japon est il a commencé à pleuvoir et quand on avaient pas encore le hangar mobile gonflée..
En Hawaii c’était le batterie qui avait surchauffé – c’était un problème opérationnel de notre équipe d’ingénieurs qui l’ont monté et remonté trop vite pour faire un test au début du vol vers Hawaii et ca a complètement perturbé la fonctionnement du batteri.
On a l’impression que vous êtes devenu très proches..
BP : On a travaillé ensemble depuis treize ans, et moi, j’ai commencé ce projet il y a quinze ans. On se d’abord rendu aux Etats-Unies pour voir ce que l’on pourrais faire, puis j’ai proposé le projet à l’Ecole Technique Fédérale. Ils ont accepté de faire une étude de faisabilité et ils on proposé André qui étais un consultant à l’extérieure de conduire cette étude de faisabilité. C’est comme ca que j’ai rencontré André.
 Je me suis dis que quelqu’un qui a autant de différence de moi allais me permettre de créer une relation trés synergique. André est pilote d’avion, moi je suis pilote de ballon. Il est ingénieur, moi je suis psychiatre. Il a crée des start up comme entrepreneur, moi je suis explorateur.
Donc c’etais une relation où chacun est l’inverse de l’autre et c’est ca qui est fantastique. Si on veut créer quelque chose il faut avoir des gens différents; il faut pas travailler avec des gens identique.

Bertrand Piccard et André Borschberg avant décollage.

AB : On a aussi beaucoup de choses en commun. Je pense que chacun avait son rêve à lui mais on a un monde commun où on se retrouve dans les aspirations profondes. C’est a travers de ce monde que l’on a trouve notre partenariat, et heureusement on est trés différents. On a pas la même approche et je sais qu’il n’as pas le même avis, mais je me réjouis à voir ce qui va m’encore sortir! De quel angle il va venir!
BP : On se surprend toujours.
 (Rires)

“Je me suis dis que quelqu’un qui a autant de différence de moi allais me permettre de créer une relation trés synergique. André est pilote d’avion, moi je suis pilote de ballon. Il est ingénieur, moi je suis psychiatre. Il a crée des start up comme entrepreneur, moi je suis explorateur.”

C’étais en effet votre peur de ne pas avoir assez de carburant lors du vol au ballon qui vous a donné l’idée de voler sans dépendance d’éssence fossile?
BP : Voler perpétuellement sans limite. Théoretiquement sans limite.
Vous avez jamais eu peur?
BP : Vous savez ce qui me fais peur? C’est de vivre dans un monde qui brûle un million de tonnes de pétrole par heure qui détruit le climate, qui perturbe l’environment, qui détruit les ressources de la planète..ca me fais peur! Quand on vole dans un avion qui est bien construit, qui bien est testé et que l’opération de vol est bien menée c’est un cadeau extraordinaire, c’est un privilège.
AB : C’est une découverte..
Quelle est la différence de vol entre Solar Impulse et un ballon ou bien une avion de chasse?
AB : La première chose c’est le sentiment d’être complétement indépendant. Vous avez l’énergie de voler sans interruption. C’est un sentiment de liberté qui est extraordinairement fort et puissant. Un avion qui mélange les meilleurs des technologies à ce que la nature donne et s’intègre dans la nature. On a une harmonie. C’est aussi cette réussite – ce que l’homme fait et la nature qui est notre monde. C’est très fort.

Ca se compare avec le paragliding?
BP : Le paraglider a besoin de l’ascendence thermique pour rester un vol et c’est souvent des vols courts. Quand vous partez vous espérez de trouver les points d’ascendence et vous pourrez pas traverser des océans.
AB : Nous, on fonctionne avec la nature et on a une harmonie avec la nature grace aux technologies propres qui utilisent cette force. Donc c’est une alliance de la technologie et la nature.
Et pour dormir?
BP : C’étais beaucoup plus courts. Le ballon a duré vingt jours et quand j’ai rentré l’absence de bruit m’a réveillé pendant deux semaines où je me suis réveillé en criant.
Et dans l’avion?
AB : Quand il fait nuit et vous allez dormir vous entendez toujours des petites bruits.
BP : Le craquements? Tu m’as réveillé, quand tu m’avais dis qu’il y avait des craquements et tous ca. (Rit)
AB : Le petits craquements, les petits décochements, il y a des interactions sur les différents fréquences. Si il fait nuit vous commencez à entendre des pétits chose. Imaginez que vous êtes seule dans le jungle, vous fermez les yeux et il fait nuit, vous allez entrendre plein des petits choses et vous allez imaginer qu’il y ait un tigre en train de rentrer chez vous, ou un serpent qui vous serre le cou! Alors c’est un peu la même chose. Finalement, il faut avoir confiance en cet vol quand il faut se reposer. Pour moi c’étais très étonnant au début.
Le fait que vous avez construit l’avion, ca vous rassure?
AB : Oui, c’est un peu ca. J’ai perdu une fois pendant le vol une partie de l’entoilage qui se trouve sous l’aile et qui se détaché, donc c’est vrai que ca m’as peut-être marqué parce qu’au moment c’étais un peu délicat. Mais c’est vrai, on est un peu plus sensible à se demander, qu’est ce qui se passe, est-ce qu’il y a quelque chose en train de se passer, est-ce que c’est un signe qui me dis qu’il y ait quelque chose en train de se passer. Chacun a ses experiences et chaqu’un a son monde.
BP : Il y a des fois où il fallait se forcer à dormir. Je me rappelle une fois pendant la traversé de l’Atlantique et il y avait la pleine lune avec des reflets extraordinnaire sur l’océan. Et puis, je dormais vingt minutes et je me suis dis; “J’envie de regarder ca, j’ai pas envie de dormir”. C’est pour ca que le temps de sommeil étais dans le temps de travail. C’est pas autant de plaisir. Je me suis rendormi et puis au levée du soleil extraordinnaire le deuxième matin je doit encore dormir. Et c’est triste parce que c’étais tellement beau.

Le premier vol Solar Impulse a eu lieu en Suisse  en juillet 2010 © AFP PHOTO/FABRICE COFFRINI/SOLARIMPULSE

Comment vous vous êtes préparé pour cette aventure?
AB : On s’est entraîné dans des simulateurs, sept heures pendant la nuit sans dormir et sans manger. Techniquement vous testez. Mais les émotions on peu pas les simuler. Les émotions c’est quelque chose qui se développent au cours du vol, c’est là où vous devriez gérer.
BP : Moi, j’ai utilisé l’auto-hypnose pour gérer ca. André le yoga. Dans le film vous voyez André faire le yoga au cockpit.
AB : Il y a la coté physique et puis, il y a un coté mental. Vous avez des techniques de respiration pour vous soulager du pression de l’extérieur. Prendre un peu de distance par a ce qui se passe et calmer le flux d’idée, le flux de pensés que l’on a dans le cerveau. Donc ca permets de réposer le cerveau sans dormir. Ce techniques il faut s’entrainer – moi je fait pendant dix ans et Bertrand a développé sa technique d’auto-hypnose.
BP : C’est vrai que j’ai utilisé l’auto-hypnose pour rester éveillé dans Solar Impulse et on peut aussi l’utiliser pour dormir, mais il y avait tout le temps des alarms donc c’est trés rare de pouvoir faire vingt minutes de suite. La masque à oxygène est extrêmement désagréable et j’ai utilisé l’autohypnose pour être bien. C’est super bien pour augmenter l’energie du corps, en effet j’avais moins de stress après trois jour en Solar Impulse que quand je prend la voiture pour aller à Zürich. C’étais vraiment marrant. Alors, maintenant quand je roule en voiture après deux heures je m’imagine que je suis deux jours au Solar Impulse et je vais très bien.
Alors maintenant; c’est le anti-climax? Le fais que la grande aventure est fini?
AB : Il y a un mélange des differents sentiments. Il y a un nostalgie et finalement ca se fait pas parce que on est deux, mais parce qu’il y a une équipe dans le vol et autour du monde, 140 personnes.
Chaque personne qui a participée, si c’est le téchnicien ou la communication, a contribuée au succes de cette mission. L’équipe c’est des gens qui sont extrêmement proche parce que on a partagé des choses très forts. Quand on se sépare de ces gens c’est la nostalgie. La vol est fini mais le projet continue.
BP: On a pas chaumé depuis la fin du vol. On a pas eu la possibilité de s’assoir tous les deux, André et moi, pour se dire, “Ca y est. On a réussi!” Chaque fois c’est la course, des interviews, des cerémonies, des récompenses, des conferences, des film que l’on montre, des séances photos, mais le fait de s’assoir et se dire, “On a réussi, on profite”. Ca on a pas pu faire.
AB : On a un livre qui sort fin janvier, et j’ai impression que ce là ou on pourrait vraiment finir notre tour du monde.
BP : Après la dernière atterissage on a su que l’on allait réussir. Il s’est passé tellement de choses.
AB : Tout le monde nous a surexcité pour éviter de faire la petite faute qui gâcherais tout. Vous avez une montée d’adrenaline qui est de suspense et qui donne l’energie.
Comme Lindberg quand il a traversé l’Atlantique.
BP : Quand il est venu la piste était totalement pleine de gens donc il pourrais pas d’atterrir toute de suite, il a du faire la passage à l’écart.

Le selfie de Bertrand Piccard en traversant l’Atlantique. 

Aujourd’hui, pensez-vous que les gens ont vraiment compris votre reussite?

BP : Il y a des gens qui comprennent et il y a des gens qu’il comprendront jamais. Vous savez, il y a des gens qui n’ont pas de capacité d’imagination. Il y a des gens qui disaient que la premier avion sert à rien. Il y a des gens qui ont dit que la première voiture servira à rien. Parceque, autre fois avec une voiture il fallait qu’il y ait quelqu’un qui marche avec un drapeau pour avertir les piétons qu’il y ai une voiture qui arrive. C’étais considéré comme sans avenir. Il y a des gens qui ont dis que les ordinateurs ca arriveraient à rien.
AB : Comme le téléphone…

“Vous avez, il y a des gens qui n’ont pas de capacité d’imagination. Il y a des gens qui disaient que la premier avion sert à rien.”

BP : Mon arrière-grand père – quand il avait installé le premier télephone en Suisse dans son bureau et à sa maison, il a invité tous ces collègues qui étaient des professeurs de l’Université à Bâle, et tous ces collègues ont regardé quand il a dis “J’ai téléphone à moi femme.”. Il a téléphone à sa femme et ces collègues ont dis; “Ecoute, Jules, c’est trés intéressante mais ca n’a aucun avenir!”.
Alors pour nous, Solar Impulse, c’est le début de quelque chose nouveau, un noveau cycle. Il y a des avions electriques dans dix ans avec moins des 50 personnes pour des courts courriers. André a des trés jolies idées pour le moyens de transport urbans electriques.
AB : Depuis qu’on a commence il y a treize ans il y a eu une evolution. Il y a Tesla qui ont fait la voiture électrique avec la prise. Solar Impulse prend l’énergie du soleil alors que vous pourrez prendre votre energie où vous voulez. C’est pas perdu comme un moteur au piste où le deux tiers de gaz que vous émettez serviraient à rien. C’est la chaleur, c’est perdu. Deux litres de pétrole sur trois, think about it! Donc l’énergie électrique est efficace, s’est silente. Ils developpent des avions électriques qui peuvent décoller verticalement d’un immeuble à l’autre. C’est le vertical take off, autonome, silencieux, et sans de pollution. Ce qui était la science fiction dans les bandes dessinés il y a dix ans est devenu la réalité grâce a la propulsion électrique. Ce qui était une énigme il y a treize ans devient la realité.
BP : Et puis, maintenent Solar Impulse a fait bouger la coté technique. Alors maintenent il y a la côté politique, de faire écouter les politiciens, et ca c’est le but avec iMondial pour rassembler toutes les professionnels de cette téchnique de manière à pouvoir créer une immense réseau qui amène des solutions. Dans moins de deux ans je me suis engagé à trouver milles solutions et les rendre rentable et efficient pour protéger l’environment. Les gouvernements ont besoin des négociations politiques. Alors, ce qu’il faut c’est des moyens et des solutions techniques pour y arriver là à ce but. Sinon c’est le wishful thinking.

Un vol solaire en 2012 – trois ans avant la première étape autour du monde. Les 40,000km sans carburant étaient une première pour les énergies propres.

Qu’elle est l’avenir avec Donald Trump qui veut réintroduire le charbon?
BP : S’il veut la croissance, il sera obligé de développer des techniques écologiques. Parce que c’est ca qui fais la croissance; pas les vieux systems. Vous avez des voitures électriques, des lumières led, des panneaux solaire, tous ca c’est nouveau.. mais il voudrais aller en arrière avec le charbon.
Donc vous faites le lobbying pour ces techniques?
Quand j’annoncé l’alliance de iMondial il y a eu énormément d’espoir. Ils attendent tous de cette travail, même les G8. J’ai parlé beaucoup aux hommes politiques. Ils sont tous un peu dispersé, ils savaient pas comment l’utiliser. Ce qu’il faut maintenent c’est de faire le lien entre ce technique et les hommes politiques. C’est le but de la fondation.
Vous saviez tous ca quand vous avez commencé cette aventure?
BP : Moi, c’étais mon but. C’étais pour avoir un outil crédible qui puisse communiquer ces techniques écologiques.
AB : Nous avons des partenaires qui viennent des differents cotés, c’est pas des partenaires aeronautiques. C’est la chimie, la technique, les ascenceurs, les gens qui deplace des gens qui voudrait le faire d’un maniere efficace. Donc ils souhaitent de trouver des solutions efficaces. Toutes les produits qu’on a crée ils trouvent leur places dans d’autres applications. Par exemple le batterie va maintenent aussi dans des refrigérateurs pour les rendre plus efficace avec moins de consommation d’energie. C’est sont des solutions simples. Mais c’est là où on fais des économies. C’est là où on va changer.
BP : Au Cop 22 il y avait un interêt enorme, c’étais un méssage positif, un message d’espoir. La receptivité des gens sur place étais extraordinaire. Le Maroc a une programme extraordinnaire. Le roi a un but d’avoir 52 pourcent de l’energie vert dans 30 ans. Il va y arriver.
Finalement, dans une année sombre Solar Impulse étais une rayon de lumière.
BP : Ce ca que le médias ont pris – l’espoir.
AB : On veut montrer que les choses impossibles sont réalisables. Notre projét montre que ce qui a l’air difficile et impossible est quand même faisable. Ca ouvre chaque fois le monde quand on discute avec les gens. C’est la plaisir aussi – le chemin pour y arriver étais la meilleure partie de ce projet. ©

Solar Impulse au hangar. La propulsion électrique, le ‘H55’,  est la dernière aventure d’aviation dirigé par André Borschberg.

HOME  

Archives

The Derby by Gericault.

For the actor, Jean Rochefort, it was the horses who inspired him to write the bestselling book, Le Louvre à Chéval.

By Camilla Alfthan

”EQUESTRIAN ART is the result of two species that find confidence in one another. The painters were aways interested in the horses. Their aesthetic beauty, their sensuality and the mystery of the horse always inspired artists,” said Jean Rochefort during a chat between classes at the Gucci Masters show in Paris. When a friend from the Louvre asked him to co-write a book which examines the cultural link between horses and mankind the result was a visual tome peppered with comments and anecdotes.

”There are some very beautiful images and some humour, too. I received letters from children who discovered painters thanks to little bits of fun. In art it all becomes very serious. But it has to amuse you and create emotions so it can’t be serious. Art is made for happiness,” said Rochefort whose own favourite oeuvres were by Delacroix – “A master whose brush strokes are beyond comparison”.

“In art it all becomes very serious. But it has to amuse you and create emotions so it can’t be. Art is made for happiness!”

The actor, who was a regular at the French show jumping events, had come to Paris with his wife to watch their daughter compete on the family’s homebred horses.

”Here it is too much showbiz like Cannes. It’s very peculiar.  I was a part of this competition from the beginning and I would prefer if it was more about the sport than about the people; if you understand what I mean. I call it restaurants with horse shows. When people eat and forget to look,” he said with a shrug while one of Paris’ little Green Men, un technicien de surface, began to clean our table with a cloth and spray.

Rochefort at his haras in Normandy.

The equestrian world is very special. How did you enter it?  In Bretagne my grandfather had carriage horses to take the tourists sightseeing. His interest skipped a generation. So for me, it all began when I was riding in a film. It was like an electric charge! My life changed because of that! I have since bred horses and my daughter continues and my wife as well. It’s an enormous passion.  All species interest me. Even homo sapiens. But less and less. I think we are lost. (Laughs.)

Animals are kinder? At least they have certain codes. A stallion fights with another stallion, the strongest one stays and the weaker leaves. But with us, humans, the weaker leaves and the stronger kills him anyway. He who wins kills. It’s only with the ants and the humans that this exists. The war between the same species only exists between ants and humans. And some chimpanzees. They are very close to us.

They recently discovered that two-three male chimpanzes will run great distances to other chimpanzee families just to kill a male and then leave again. And the reason behind this is not known. Many things are discovered these days, we begin to know the animals much better, non? In Le Monde they spoke about this the other day; the osmosis between mankind and other species, among them, the horses.

Which is the subject of your book; the relation between horses and humans. Voilà, in the old days, they worked for us, they obeyed us. Now we are trying to create a bond. It is this bond that you see in great performances. When I started sixty years ago horses did not have much fun. It was often violent work. With my grandfather you should not approach them as they were seen as dangerous monsters. That has changed a lot.

”In the old days, the horses worked for us. Now we’re trying to create a bond with them. It is this bond that you see in great performances.”

Equitation is an art form in more than one sense. Oui, equestrian art begins with the confidence between of two species that find confidence in one another. The horse is relaxed because he trusts the rider. In the art world, you see the approach between the artists and the animals, where the horses interested them the most. The aestetic beauty, their sensuality and the mystery of the horse always inspired artists. The book had a lot of succes all over the world, so I’m very happy and even very proud.

People easily forget that this art exists.  Even 30.000 years ago man painted animals in grottos. It was magnifique. The bulls, the horses.. Without the animals there may never have been any painters. Because when the first drawings were made on walls, they painted their companions in life.

Do you collect equestrian art? Écoutez. I find that here, too, there’s been an evolution. Before, I found it very boring. Twenty years ago it wasn’t interesting at all. Now, when I see certain oeuvres they create an emotion.

The audience needs to be seduced.. Even in modern art when there’s wonderful absurdities and someone writes four philosophic pages to explain it that is not reasonable. We must have fun with art, it cannot be serious.  

At a recent exhibition in Paris, I saw a video where a horse was skating on ice. I thought there was someting special and went to have a closer look. When I learned that the artist had made it because he’d had problems with his mother I was no longer interested. That there had to be a psychological reason for him to make the film made me lose all interest!

After that I saw three obstacles which were encircled by a long piece of rope so you couldn’t get too close to them. A drop of water fell on one of the obstacles every thirty seconds. I was fascinated and I saw something interesting there. After a while the guardian came up to me and said; ’Monsieur Rochefort, that is a leak…’  Funny, non?”   ©

Jean Rochefort with Jane Birkin in the film ‘The Artist and his Model’.

Le Louvre à Cheval by Jean Rochefort and Edward Vignot is published by Louvre Editions.

L’homme et le cheval, une relation millénaire        

Delacroix’s portrait of a horse.