Gallery
The photographs
Château Clinet · Château Lamothe-Bergeron · Château de Reignac — Winter 2014
Nicolas Claris · Romain Claris · 2014
Château Clinet · Lamothe-Bergeron · Château de Reignac
Galerie du Saint-James, Bouliac
May 15 – June 7, 2014
Photo © Nicolas Claris — All rights reserved
In January and February 2014, we walked through "our" three estates time and again. Approaching with calm and discretion, yet confident and serene, we engaged with these new lands with a love of the unknown, a desire for surprise, an urge to bring something back.
Equipped with our cameras, we walked through soft, wet earth with our tripods, slipped, fell at times — in the late afternoon, at sunrise, or at night. Always curious, we fell immediately in love with the places and their people. It is remarkable how simple, sincere human warmth can influence and shape a place, an atmosphere.
In winter, a calm settles over the cellars… Everything sleeps, or almost — the angels quietly claim their share while the barrels rest, still, dormant yet gently nurturing their contents.
The tradition is to photograph Bordeaux châteaux in summer or autumn at harvest, when the light is warm and the grapes fat and ripe. But what happens in winter, when the vines rest and the canes are cut, when time seems to slow, as if suspended?
This exhibition is not a documentary in the strict sense — rather a poetic, dreamlike yet realistic journey through three estates, told through photographs and a film. Convinced that the two forms can complement and amplify each other, multiplying feeling and emotion, we present both!
Outside it is cold. Armed with his secateurs he cuts, prunes, bends and stretches to reach a hidden cane. Pruning is an art, we have learned, and each château has its artist. The vineyards are vast! Accustomed to seascapes, we were struck by the stillness of these landscapes. Now and then a column of smoke from burning canes rises toward the clouds; a gust of wind ruffles the branches, creating an atmosphere at once violent and gentle — a difficult balance that suits these places perfectly.
This exhibition was not the result of any commission. Our sincere thanks to the owners of the three châteaux for accepting our approach and giving us a completely free hand!
Château Clinet · Château Lamothe-Bergeron · Château de Reignac — Winter 2014
Galerie du Saint-James, Bouliac — Thursday, May 15, 2014
We have worked with them for many years… They master their craft like no one else. Their active support, their expertise and their passion for making our images ever more beautiful never cease to amaze us.
For all its offset printing work, Claris has chosen Print. Nicolas Brunaud and his wife Muriel Malabat have run this family-owned printing house in Bègles for many years. With two complementary activities (Print Dorure for labels and Print Système for publishing) and a team of 34, they deliver printing services and solutions that add genuine value to creative work. They have established themselves as the leading printer for the Bordeaux wine and spirits industry.
143, avenue du Maréchal Leclerc — 33130 Bègles
Central Dupon Images is a unique production studio in Paris and Bordeaux offering every image-related service — from high-definition retouching and framing to hand-made black-and-white silver prints and enlargements up to 1.8 metres wide. The preferred partner of the world's leading cultural events and photography festivals, it has been Claris's laboratory of choice for over fifteen years.
52 rue Giner de los Rios — 33800 Bordeaux
RICOH IMAGING COMPANY LTD is one of the world's leading manufacturers of digital cameras under the RICOH and PENTAX brands. Its range includes weather-sealed DSLRs, hybrid compacts, professional medium format, a comprehensive lens line-up, and the RICOH THETA 360° spherical camera. RICOH IMAGING supports and assists Nicolas Claris alongside a number of French and European photographers.
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