Mrs Aganju (2022) Photography by Pascal Mathieu

Pascal Mathieu, artist photographer, draws on his memories to retrace the first steps of his passion. His journey into the world of photography began when he was still very young, probably less than twenty years old. The acquisition of a "Zénit TTL" camera, a solid Russian model equipped with a quality lens, marked the beginning of his artistic exploration. At that time, he was already fond of capturing human moments, but a certain reserve prevented him from fully expressing this inclination, not yet feeling legitimate in his role as a photographer.

Today, photography is ubiquitous. Among the daily avalanche of millions of images, Pascal looks for those that stop his gaze and touch him. Where is the subject? What story is hidden behind each shot? How can it arouse emotions in others, nourish their ability to dream? His concerns go far beyond the technological aspects of the discipline. If the drawing has always failed him, he nevertheless considers that everything can give birth to poetry, and he is inspired in this by the approach of Di Rosa. In this quest, photography offers a chance to unskillful minds, because the camera is the pencil with which he traces his dreams. This approach, which he describes as “modest photography”, extracts the magic from each captured moment. Each trigger freezes a unique temporal conjunction between the environment, the photographed subject and himself. The end result is a creation that did not exist before and can never be recreated.

In 2021, Pascal Mathieu published his book entitled "SLOW FORET" with ULMER editions. This book, illustrated with 300 photographs, explores his close connection with nature and constitutes a precious facet of his life.

Pascal's fascination lies in diversity, a fundamental principle of nature. It strives to celebrate the diversity inherent in humanity, because it is a source of peace and beauty. This diversity takes shape through the human body, which embodies a spectacular array of shapes and characters. In his photographs, the human presence acts as an intermediary between nature and the viewer. The absence of humans leaves a void, because even within a landscape, Pascal is always looking for clues to his past presence.

Before each session, images take shape in Pascal's mind, sometimes even in his dreams. When he is behind the lens, he tries to bring these mental images to life, while leaving room for the unexpected, because it is often in these moments of spontaneity that the most striking images are born. The collaboration with his models is essential to his approach, because it is from this complicity that the emotional depth arises in his photographs.

Pascal Mathieu seeks to capture the sparks of souls when they collide with reality. When these fleeting flashes materialize in his photos, he feels the fulfillment of having captured something precious. Guided by his intuition, he immerses himself with delight in the both light and deep game of photography, thus exploring the mysteries of art through his lens.

• Nationality: FRANCE
• Date of birth : 1962
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary French Artists