The project aims to construct a series that invites you on a visual journey inspired by the unique
universe of painter Edward Hopper, where light and composition sculpt the solitude and silence of
everyday scenes, alternatively the atmosphere of Wim Wenders films like “Perfect Days”. Hopper,
with his evocative compositions, masterfully captured the isolation of the human soul amidst a
modernizing America in transformation.
The photographs in this project explore these same themes through the lens, reinterpreting
painting in photographic form while preserving I hope the essence of Hopper’s work, in more
diverse geographies.
Each shot should feel like a frozen moment, a fragment of life—places that evoke a sense of
waiting, contemplation, or even melancholy. If characters appear in the photographs, they are
often alone, lost in thought, seemingly belonging to a moment suspended in time.
Stéphane Boudon
Wanderlust is a term of German origin that literally means “desire for travel” or “urge to set out.”
It describes a deep longing or an irresistible thirst to discover the world, explore new horizons,
and venture into the unknown, yet it cannot be fully translated into French or English. Like
saudade in Portuguese, it belongs to the realm of untranslatable words.
After years spent dissecting science, technology, innovation, and other materialities, I now
dedicate my time to Wanderlust, which is not merely an action (traveling) but also an inner
attitude that values exploration, curiosity, and openness to the world. Inspired by Goethe, who
saw travel as an essential means of deepening his understanding of the world and himself.
Goethe was also a passionate amateur scientist, and his explorations were often driven by
intellectual curiosity, particularly in botany, geology, and meteorology.
In some of his poems, such as “Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh” (“On every summit, there is peace”),
Goethe captures a kind of contemplative melancholy that resonates with Wanderlust. This
yearning for travel is often accompanied by a quest for tranquility or meaning in the vastness of
the world.
More modestly, I try to embody this through photography.
sboudon.myportfolio.com
@sbou
