Marianne is improvisation. I’m not referring to the nonsense that’s now invading festivals, fairs, exhibitions, and other galleries. This observation concerns her conception, her adaptation, her complicity (or not) with her subject, her human model. In terms of photography, this isn’t a question; the photographer perfectly masters her subject to achieve the desired results for her creative and intellectual constructions.
The evidence is there, clearly present, aligned (or rather, judiciously misplaced) in the Gardens of the Villa Simone, which has been offering us beautiful series of pictures for several years. The stage is set; Marianne’s works are freely displayed for all to see.
For those new to her, this brilliant photographer is, above all, a great portraitist. The number of personalities captured and frozen by her camera is impressive. A life devoted to establishing a true relationship with her subjects through images.
She doesn’t have a fixed style like many great portraitists who leave a repetitive and identifiable mark. In Marianne Rosenstiehl’s works, the common thread is the improvisation of the concept, which is present from the shot to the final image, offered for all to understand.
Taboos are broken, technique adapts, rules are imposed, nothing should stand in the way of capturing and restoring the essential moment. As for the rest, whether distorted, solarized, monochrome, or embellished, the magical moment is always before our eyes. Each print is different from its neighbor in its reading, its interpretation, and its emotional response thanks to the photographer’s skill.
Ultimately, consciously or not, Marianne offers us portraits for the ages, marked by the moment. All the essentials of photography..
Thierry Maindrault
Marianne Rosenstiehl : Jardin d’Etoiles [Stars Garden]
Jardins de la Villa Simone
200 avenue Audibert
83140 Six-Fours-les-Plages
July 05, 2025 until September 21, 2025
free entrance Tuesday to Sunday from 08:00 am to 06:00 pm.
