The French term for “still life” is “nature morte,” which translates as, “dead nature.” I see my series Natures Vives (Living Nature) as an offering, an ode to creation. I’ve always liked to draw and paint. Starting with my first photographs, I sought a light tinged with a special atmosphere, something between film and painting. In 2009, walking through an exhibition on Dutch painting, I rediscovered the still lifes of the Flemish masters. I had been working for months on a photo series about food, and this exhibition came as a revelation. As background color, I chose black, for its strictness, solemnity and intensity. And I decided to always combine products of the earth with objects representing the know-how of traditional artisans. I make all the prints on “fine art” paper. I like the grain, which gives the image depth, especially in the darker colors. For me, photography is a poetic act. Before a photographer can worry about technique, first she has to think. Captivated by the beauty of a bunch of asparagus, of sea bream, of mushrooms, I wanted the taste of the world’s beauty. And always with the same quest: finding the necessary restraint to restore authenticity to Nature’s bounty.
Francesca Mantovani
EXHIBITION
Cose naturali
Until June 21, 2014
Galerie Hegoa
16, rue de Beaune
75007 Paris
