Catherine, 57

Versailles! A city of great joy and sorrow. Of tenderness and violence in the years gone by! That is why this image was taken here. It is a place that bears the mark of the past yet speaks to the present.

I’m thinking of a photograph that conveys rigor, gentleness, and the contrasts of black and white. I’m thinking of a graphic image—this idea of juxtaposition, of successive alignments that vividly illustrate the flow of life. I imagine that these alignments will lead me to something better.

A square-format photograph for a modern look. I can show you some photos I saw at the Curie Institute that would illustrate the lighting. A photograph as large as possible so I can see it from my armchair, which will then fit above a dresser. That’s why I chose this style.

Water, trees, stone, rows of buildings, whimsical alignments that still feel modern, and a humorous detail tucked away in a little corner that only I would know about. For example, a tiny, unexpected, playful detail that would remind me that pleasant surprises are often just around the corner, where you least expect them. A detail that brings to mind laughter and emotion. That’s why this incongruity.

Photographer
Hélène Mauri

Location
Versailles

Year
2016