Focus Bovary is the artistic exploration of the novel Madame Bovary by French writer Gustave Flaubert. Inspired by a recent newspaper report, Flaubert describes the narrowness of the province and the dreary daily life of its protagonist Emma Bovary. She dreams of an exciting life as part of the upper society and lives through the consequences to fulfil her dream.
As part of this project, photographer Nora Klein considered the places described in the novel. To approach the literary work, she contrasted two very different types of images.
For one, she travelled to the real places described in the novel. Delphine Delamare, the woman Madame Bovary aspired to be, lived in Ry (in the novel Yonville-l’Abbaye), a small community near Rouen, in Normandy, France. Nora Klein follows the well-signposted walk, turned a pilgrimage by Flaubert admirers. The photographs capture historical scenes and landscapes as they look today, and allow the observer to return to the events described in the book.
On the other hand, she captures the heavily reduced stage design of a performance of the ballet Madame Bovary by Jörg Mannes’ state theatre Hannover. These staged places interpret Emma Bovary’s character, and reflect her desires, longing and feelings.Through these very different images, the viewer can associatively approach the character that is Emma Bovary.