From March 01, 2023 to March 31, 2023
When Laurent Baheux photographs animals, he becomes a portrait photographer who seeks to capture the originality of his subject. ''I photograph instinctively, with my guts. For me, all that matters is the encounter'', says the man who has been traveling through wild territories for more than 20 years and as close as possible to wild animals in their own environment.
With his dense and contrasted use of black and white, Laurent plays with shadow and light and centers his attention on posture, composition, material or texture. His settings are snapshots of life, simple and tender photographs of the daily lives of animals. ''I am not a naturalist or a behaviorist. I react on instinct and I work with my gut. If I choose to take a photo, it is first of all because the scene prompted a spark, an emotion. ''
Elephants' silhouettes, a contemplative lion, a lazy leopard, a laughing hyena or a hippopotamus hidden under the aquatic grasses, his images are first and foremost the reflection of an incarnation. Through his singular approach entirely devoted to the subject's personality, Laurent brings us closer to animals in spite of ourselves because he allows us to see them as sensitive individuals; entirely focused towards their survival and that of their species, inevitably confronted with the greatest extinction of our history, undeniable consequence of the madness of men.
Curator: Sandrine Hermand-Grisel
Laurent Baheux is a French-born photographer, who hails from Poitiers. Ever since a 2002 visit to Tanzania, he has been photographing Africa’s dwindling wild fauna, portraying their beauty, strength and majesty, while also emphasizing their vulnerability and the fragility of the environments in which they dwell. In addition to the consciousness-raising that is inherent in his photographic work, he accompanies and supports the deeds of organizations such as The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) that work for the protection of nature and the preservation of biodiversity. Baheux is keenly aware that his pictures can help create public awareness about the importance of preserving and protecting wildlife. As well as an undeniable aesthetic appeal, his photography seeks to draw attention to the precarious situation facing Africa’s wildlife. His mission is to inspire those who witness his works not only to marvel, but also to take action.
