Ali Kazma in conversation with Marta Ponsa and Dork Zabunyan

Ali Kazma is a photographer and videographer who graduated from the New School in New York in the early 2000s. His oeuvre consists of documenting the ways in which human activity transforms matter and creates new forms and constitutes a sort of archive on craftsmanship. Subjects range from a depiction of the dexterity of an Istanbul butcher, to the skill of a watchmaker or taxidermist. One theme emerges: the documentation of the attention of a professional and their rhythmic gestures. The Fondation Cartier's collection contains two films by Ali Kazma: Household Goods Factory (2008) and Studio Ceramist (2007), both of which were part of the Obstructions series. These films show the importance of human work.

An art historian, Marta Ponsa is Head of Artistic Projects and Cultural Programming at the Jeu de Paume, where she curates film series, conferences, and performances. As an exhibition curator, she has developed projects on European photography, experimental video, and digital creation. Her recent exhibitions include “The Supermarket of Images” and “Chantal Akerman: Travelling”. She is currently preparing an exhibition with Laura Huertas Millán.

Professor of Film Studies at Paris 8 University, Dork Zabunyan conducts research on cinema as an “impure art”, exploring a range of topics from documentary film to video games, from exhibition cinema to the relationships between cinema and philosophy. He contributes to journals such as Trafic, Artpress, Les Cahiers du cinéma, and Critique.