Nicolas Héron, « Obscure Clarté / Origines & Oxymores »
Nicolas Héron will present « Obscure Clarté / Origines & Oxymores » (“Obscure Clarity / Origins & Oxymores“) at the Spéos Gallery, 7 rue Jules Vallès 75011 Paris, from 5 April to 16 May, 2018.
Opening of the exhibition: 5 April, from 7pm to 9pm.
Some expressions are paradoxical. “Saving the planet”, “sustainable development”, “virtual reality”… in a world of communication where we pay for words, their meaning gets poorer. In order to indulge in the poetic expression of opposites, Nicolas Héron wanted to celebrate the oxymoron and borrow from Corneille one of his finest examples: “This obscure clarity that falls from the stars.” For his work is made of conflicts, between forms, materials, colors and genres. So as to transform the outlook on our world.
Spiritually related to animist beliefs since his travels in South America, the Pacific and the Caribbean, the exhibition “Obscure Clarity / Origins & Oxymores” is a reflection on the schizophrenic relationship of modern man with his “inner nature”, playing with anamorphic illusions and visual oxymorons.
After several years of expat life in the building sector, Nicolas Héron decided in 2002 to return to Paris to study photography. After graduating from Spéos, he joined the Lagardère Group as retoucher at Paris Match and then as photo editor at ELLE International. At the same time, he started his career as a photographer, but it was only in 2005 on discovering the Manufacture de Sèvres that he specialized in decoration and craftmanship. He then made several documentaries on the high-end techniques applied within luxury houses, which resulted (among others) in the book Gestes & Métiers. The photos of these works of craftmanship were exhibited and published on numerous occasions throughout the world.
In 2016, Nicolas took over a workshop to study other media. He continues to develop his artistic and spiritual universe by associating photography, painting and sculpture around a reflection begun 20 years earlier, when he was in regular contact with animist communities.
Nicolas is a Spéos Alumni 2003 from the RNCP Photographer Program.
More about Nicolas Héron:
Web sites: nicolasheron.art / nicolasheron.com
Instagram: @nicolasheron_art / @nicolasheronphotography