MATTHIAS OLMETA

Matthias Olmeta: Rediscovering Ancient Photography Techniques

Matthias Olmeta, born in Marseille, France, in 1968, developed a passion for photography at the age of 16 and decided to pursue formal studies in the field the following year. To achieve this, Olmeta moved to Los Angeles and studied visual arts at Santa Monica City College, graduating in 1991. During his seven-year stay in the United States, he traveled extensively, especially to Mexico, laying the foundation for his broader approach to exploring other cultures and places.

Upon returning to France, Olmeta continued to travel, photographing marginalized individuals such as prostitutes in Athens and psychiatric patients in Havana, gaining their acceptance and trust. In 2006, he embarked on a new path, confronting his fears and delving into shamanism, which renewed his photographic approach. He became fascinated with traditional photographic techniques, particularly ambrotype, a method that involves creating a unique light-sensitive glass negative, inverted to a positive image with a black background. This technique, developed between 1851 and 1854 by Frederick Scott Archer, Adolphe Martin, and patented by James Anson Ambrose Cutting, was popular in America until it was superseded by gelatin negative plates in the 1870s.

Through the use of ambrotype, Matthias Olmeta has sparked a true technological revival. The unique constraints and depiction of ambrotypes produce profoundly deep images with palpable materiality. Olmeta primarily photographs still-lifes and portraits of children and elderly individuals, creating a special atmosphere during his sessions that evokes an ancient composure in his subjects. This technique requires subjects to remain perfectly still, resulting in images that resemble antique sculptures from another era.

Explore the evocative and timeless photography of Matthias Olmeta on IGWT.

An enlightening interview with Matthias Olmeta by LensCulture provides further insights into his work.

Matthias Olmeta: Fairs, Exhibitions, Collections, and Publications

Fairs and Exhibitions:

Marseille-Provence, Capitale Européenne de la Culture 2013, Marseille, France, 2013

Museums and Collections:

Collection agnès b., Paris, France
The Wilson Centre for Photography, London, UK
The Elton John Collection, Atlanta, USA
Collection Freddy Denaes, Paris, France
Collection Gensollen, Marseille, France
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
Musée Niepce, Chalon-sur-Saône, France
Fond Communale de la ville de Marseille, France
Direction Générale des Affaires Culturelles, France
Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles d’Alsace, France
Les Nouveaux Collectionneurs, France
Conseil Général des Bouches-du-Rhône, France
Département des Estampes et de la Photographie, France
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, France
Numerous private collections in Norway, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the USA