Eye of the Tiger, Oscar Guermouche

In Eye of the Tiger Oscar Guermouche focuses on the stare as language. The book is composed of close-ups of the eyes of 99 male characters from various films. The stills portray the characters in situations where they are driven into some sort of readiness; these stares express everything from controlled calm to furious aggression. The films were all released between 1977 and 2000, the formative years of Guermouche’s childhood and coming of age, including schooling, sexual debut and military service. 

The black-and-white images with their graininess and deep black, give the impression of memories rather than direct depictions. The dust jacket is made out of Swedish kraft paper, which draws ammunition packaging to mind. The metallic foiling refers to the machine as a male ideal, and to the steely-eyed stare. The black wooden pattern on the cover, along with the blackened edges and the deep black endpapers, are reminiscent of the installations in the form of barricades that Guermouche has created in recent years, for example the work You Made Me (ICIA, 2016) in Gothenburg. On the back of the cover is a quote from the film Le Samouraï (1967): “Il n’y a pas de plus profonde solitude que celle du samouraï. Si ce n’est celle d’un tigre dans la jungle… Peut-être…” 

Oscar Guermouche is an artist, born in 1977 in Stockholm, and living on Öland. He obtained his master’s degree from the Department of Fine Art at Konstfack—University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm. His work has been exhibited at Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, ICIA in Gothenburg, the National Centre for Contemporary Art in Moscow, Kunsthalle Rostock, and Sleepwalker Projects in Toronto, amongst others. His work is included in several art collections, such as those of Magasin III Museum of Contemporary Art, the Public Art Agency Sweden, and the City of Gothenburg. He has published a number of articles and essays, for example in Paletten Art Journal, the Swedish Association of Art, and Flamme forlag. In 2020 he also launched Praun & Guermouche together with Sandra Praun.

Published by Praun & Guermouche
Edition of 600
Softcover
200 pages
170 x 190 mm
ISBN 9789198524468