Francois Ollivier is a French photographer from Montreal whom we have previously talked about here. Creative and eclectic, he tells stories through images with an unusual cut and composition.
Us at Collater.al have asked Francois a few questions:
What does it mean to you to take pictures? How did you start?
It’s my job and my main medium of expression (for now). I am not saying it will be forever, maybe it will be music someday but right now it’s making images.
It basically all started with the Strangers in Cuba series in 2014, which had a lot of exposure on the web and led me to my first exhibitions in Montreal. From
Today I combine both, and my practice changed a lot. I like to think I am in creative documentary today.
Your works are very interesting, what do you want to communicate to the public?
As mentioned, my practice changed a lot in 5 years. I started with very graphic and constructed images that had no particular meaning. I just wanted them to look nice and spectacular. It was a lot of fun making them, playing with elements, lights and strangers met on the way.
After a while, I felt the need to inject more storytelling in my work. So I built on my style to try new things. There’s still a lot of poetry and vernacular things in my work, but a lot of humanity too. I try to be as honest as possible with myself and my work. I try to show the things I see my way, to document life with an angle, and most of all, do the things I want to.
I am not trying to communicate something in particular, I just explore ways of telling stories while being creative. That being said, my recent commercial work is focused on social issues and the environment. That’s definitely where I am heading and a message I want to develop in my narratives.
It’s like a photojournalist that would like to be liked by an art collectionneur.
So if I made your day with a beautiful image, it’s great. If you learn something while looking at my image or if it made you curious, even greater!
Is there a particular reason why you selected these photographs?
I think they represent my vision quite well and if they’re not from me I think they deserve to be known by your audience.
Which artists influenced you the most?
I have to admit my photographic culture is somewhat limited, and I get inspiration from many forms of art, including music and literature.
I am lucky my parents brought me in museums a lot and I was exposed very young to classic paintings, the Masters as well as mainstream contemporary artists.
As for artists, I love Christo and Jeanne Claude for their land art. It inspired my series Memory Lapses. Let’s name James Turrell also.
As for living photographers, I love the work of Charles Freger, the impeccable investigations of Mathieu Asselin and the way Matthieu Gafsou tells his stories.
Is there a picture you’d never get tired of looking at?
Not really. I am not looking back a lot on my work, and I try not to get stuck too long on references. But, The Garden of Earthly Delights painted by master Hieronymus Bosch could be the exception.
Follow Francoi’s take over on @Collater.al Instagram profile!
