Presentation

Wolfgang Ernst Pauli, one of the founders of quantum physics, was nicknamed the "Conscience of Physics". But he was also known among his peers for something a bit less scientific.

Legend says that when Pauli entered a room, experiments would fail and machinery would break down. His colleagues jokingly called this phenomenon "The Pauli Effect".

Even though this was a private joke among highly scientific minds, some of them were nonetheless superstitious enough to ban Wolfgang Pauli from even entering their lab.

CERN recently released their photo archive spanning thirty years of cutting edge research. Wolfgang Pauli died shortly before this archive started but his presence still lingers; on a bust, a blackboard, a portrait, a book etc. Thus starts this "scientific ghost story" where maybe even accidents and strange events are also a reminder of Pauli's existence. Some images are manipulated by the artist, while others are left untouched. Art, photography, history and science collide, blurring the line between science fact and science fiction. The mystery and humor arise from the playful games the reader must take part in, to separate myth from reality.

All manipulations by the artist 2015-2016
All images from CERN Photo Archive 1960-1985

 

After completing a Masters' degree in Mathematics & Computer Science, David Fathi starts an artistic research in photography side-by-side with his career in engineering. This double practice can be perceived in his photographic work as an intense passion for science and the limits of knowledge.

Biography

French photographer, born in 1985, lives and works in Paris.
 
EXHIBITIONS

2018
- FotoFest 2018 Biennal, Houston, USA
 
2017
- Wolfgang - Nucleus, Noorderlicht Festival, Groningue, Netherlands
- The Last Road of the Immortal Woman - Les Rencontres de la photographie, Arles
- Wolfgang - La Galerie Particulière, Bruxelles, Belgium
- Privacy and Tranquillity - Presence Festival, Saint-Pétersbourg, Russia
- Observations - Belfast Exposed, Belfast, Ireland
- Voodoo Gravity - PhotoEspaña, Madrid, Spain
- Extreme - Les Journées Photographiques, Bienne, Switzerlands
- Archivi del Futuro - Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italia
 
2016
- Wolfgang - La (deuxième) Galerie Particulière, Paris
- Wolfgang  - Fotofestiwal - Lodz, Poland
- Profound Silence - Jimei x Arles, Jimei, China
- Re-Vision - Fotopub, Novo Mesto, Slovenia
 
2015
- Anecdotal - Prix Levallois - Levallois-Perret
- Anecdotal - Encontros da Imagem - Braga, Portugal
- The Tetris Effect - Les Nuits Photographiques - Paris
- Wolfgang - RJPI - Villa Pérochon - Niort
- Anecdotal - RJPI - Villa Pérochon - Niort
- Anecdotal - Format Festival - Derby, United Kingdom
- Anecdotal - Circulations - Paris
 
2014
- Anecdotal - PhotoIreland - Dublin, Ireland

AWARDS

2016
- Wolfgang - Winner of the Photo Folio Review of the Rencontres d'Arles
- Wolfgang - Grand Prize Winner (Fotofestiwal Lodz)
 
2015
- Wolfgang - Conscientious Portfolio Competition 
- On The Last Road With the Immortal Woman - Finalist of the prize Le BAL of young photography
- Anecdotal - Mention of the jury (Levallois Prize)
- Anecdotal - Photocaptionist Award (Format Festival)

2014
- Anecdotal - Rock Your Dummy First Prize (Le Photobookfest)
 
 
MONOGRAPHS

- Wolfgang - David Fathi, Skinnerboox, 2016, 164 p.
- Anecdotal by David Fathi, Maria Inc., 2015, 108 p.
Learn more