God saves us all, 2001

A large orange buoy occupies the centre of God Saves Us All, 2001, floating on the blue wave of a swimming pool. The image, which seems to be inverted, is bathed in velvety tones, the result of hand-colouring an original black and white print. The title suggests a prayer with secular and universal symbolism.

This work belongs to a large series called “Cinema”, which photographer Youssef Nabil began before his exile. Passionate about cinema since childhood, the artist seeks to make timeless portraits like objects through the same outdated aesthetic, halfway between painting and photography, which imitates the imagery of post-war cinema.

The Pinault Collection acquired God Save Us All, 2001, which is being presented for the first time during Nabil's 2020 solo show “Once Upon A Dream” at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice.