L’Homme Bleu

L’Homme Bleu (Blueman) made his first appearance in Basel in 1999. Since then, it has been difficult for André Kuenzy, the artist hidden beneath the strange azure latex suit, to lay his second skin aside. For the past twenty years, he has travelled from his native canton of Neuchâtel to Japan, India, Mexico and Senegal, collecting acquaintances and stories along the way. This strange and silent globetrotting creature endeavours to reach out to passers-by without ever speaking to them. When confronting these anonymous people, his camera-eye always triggers (and photographs) a reaction, be it curiosity or fear. The character André Kuenzy plays is open to all fantasies, suspended out of time and norms, and draws all those who meet him into a fragile, poetic and surrealist moment of togetherness. The Blueman on tour immersive installation invites viewers to put themselves in Blueman’s shoes and discover 20 years of unparalleled discoveries.

Architect André Kuenzy’s alter ego, L’Homme Bleu, travels the world to share privileged moments with strangers. The willingly mute latex character expresses the tensions between the individual and society by attempting to lower the barriers of stereotypes through surreal encounters. During Festival Images, the enigmatic figure unexpectedly entered the urban sphere and the day-to-day life of Vevey residents through a series of collective photographic performances. For the occasion, André Kuenzy also introduced his Filmomatic project, a photo booth that allowed visitors to create their own flip book.