What the Wind Erases – Photographs by Olivier MARTEL

During September and October, the Orangerie at the Jardin des Plantes is hosting an exhibition by photographer Olivier Martel entitled "Ce que le vent efface" (What the Wind Erases). This event is co-organized with the Friends of the Jardin des Plantes association.

"The great adventure of life is to find where you feel at home." – Sylvain Tesson

This quote sums up his search for a place of harmony, where man can finally reconnect with nature while rediscovering his own inner balance. It resonates with his career path as a bailiff who switched to landscape photography during the 2020 pandemic. Motivated by a deep desire for freedom and a quest for meaning, he turned to this artistic practice, where nature becomes a space for contemplation and resilience.

Theme and artistic approach

His photographic work revolves around the Japanese concept of mono no aware, which is the art of seeing emotion in things and transcribing them, an art of the ephemeral and an attitude tinged with melancholy in the face of this impermanence. Through his practice, he encourages the viewer to contemplate nature not as an object of possession, but as a fragile entity.