MANOLO CHRETIEN

Manolo Chrétien: Capturing the Essence of Movement and Materiality

Manolo Chrétien was born in 1966 on the Orange Airbase in France. Growing up with a father who was a French pilot and international astronaut, Chrétien spent his formative years surrounded by hangars and airplanes. This environment fostered a deep fascination with the metallic world of technology, speed, and power, fueling his interest in movement and material.

In 1987, Chrétien enrolled at the École Nationale des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art, where he gained extensive knowledge of material mechanics. He draws inspiration from the wind, speed, and naturally curved shapes of objects and waves, which he terms “Solid Anemomorphoses” for mechanical devices and “Liquid Anemomorphoses” for waves. His photographs are characterized by distortions and fluid lines, capturing the dynamic force of elements. The term “Anemomorphose” combines the Greek words “anemos” (wind) and “morphos” (shape), reflecting how wind shapes material through its imprint.

Chrétien’s photos serve his subjects with meticulous detail. He enhances his subjects with reflections and textures, creating cohesive and mesmerizing artworks. Materiality plays a crucial role in his work, particularly evident in his series Nose (2008-2012) and Wave (2012-2014), which are printed on brushed and anodized aluminum. This technique makes the waves he captures iridescent, interacting with external light.

Whether depicting sky or sea, Chrétien’s photographs explore the vast expanse of blue. He reexamines light reflection and scattering, which produce the blue of the sky and sea. Chrétien coined the term “AluminAtions” to describe his multi-reflective photos, a blend of “aluminum” and “illuminations,” suggesting a hallucinatory effect. These mirror surfaces bring his anemomorphoses to life.

Fairs and Exhibitions:

GOOD VIBES, IGWT, Paris, France, July 2018 – Catalog
‘Travel the World and the Seven Seas’ Part II, IGWT, Paris, France, September 2017
‘Travel the World and the Seven Seas’, IGWT, Paris, France, September – October 2016
A L U M I N A T I O N S, RedSea Gallery, Singapore, 2009
Juste-Ciel, Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace, Le Bourget, France, 2008
Juste-Ciel, Aéroclub de France, Paris XVI, France, 2007
Juste-Ciel, Salon du Bourget, Le Bourget, France, 2007
Effets Mer, Espace Culturel Porte-Côté, Blois, France, 2007
Effets Mer, Festival International de la Photo de Mer, Vannes, France, 2006