Melancholy, desolation and bewilderment are rarely associated with lavish night clubs. And yet, Francois Prost’s photographic series “After Party” catches a glimpse of the clubs after their magic has dispersed, unfolding a sense of emptiness and displacement. Captured under bright blu skies, these French night clubs loose all of their compelling charm. Once darkness is lifted, we are left with strange conglomerates of cliché visual iconography, improbable architectural compositions, funky names and an endless amount of dire neon lights, told through Prost’s direct photographic language, that subtly mocks the scenes’ predicability and dreariness. As we cheerfully approach New Year’s celebrations, we have to wonder if this is really what our after-party will look like?
Rujana Rebernjak
