Olivia et Vincent Goutal

In their last two series “Parentheses” and “Second Nature”, the duo Olivia and Vincent Goutal lend their images to explore the murky waters of identity, whether in the cosy interiors of an urban world or out in the wilderness.
As in fairy tales, these images represent unfinished stories, escapes, subtle hints to the imagination for which the authors give no explanation, leaving the viewer to find their own interpretation.
To achieve these wanderings between dream and reality, the duo finds inspiration in the collective imagination, in advertising, literature, film, and especially in the paintings of Edward Hopper, Caspar Friedrich or the great masters of the golden age.
Each project involves a long process of reflection, writing and staging, where every detail is important.
For Olivia and Vincent, the objective is not to transcribe the real, but to transcend it with finesse, to arouse the viewer’s attention and draw it to unknown shores.
This manifestation of disorder is enhanced by the treatment of light. Olivia and Vincent recognize this as the main subject of their work because “like the soul, it is complex and elusive.”
Thus, many pictures contribute to the final composition, like a “glaze” of modern times, revealing sfumato blurring and vibrant colors on the edge of the supernatural.
Olivia and Vincent have been working together since 2008.
Their photos have been exhibited worldwide.
They were honored for their Transitions series in the Life Style category of the Sony Photography Awards in 2011.
In 2012, they received 2nd prize in the Emerging Artist Award competition in Dubai.
They were also finalists in the 2010 Photo Hotel Original Photo contest.
They live in France, in Aix-en-Provence.

Olivia et Vincent Goutal