What the Wind Wipes Away – Photographs by Olivier MARTEL

Throughout September and October, the Orangerie at the Jardin des Plantes is hosting an exhibition by photographer Olivier Martel titled “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 finding where you feel at home.” – Sylvain Tesson

This quote sums up his search for a place of harmony, where people can finally reconnect with nature while rediscovering their own inner balance. It resonates with his journey from court officer to landscape photographer during the 2020 pandemic. Motivated by a deep desire for freedom and a search for meaning, he turned to this artistic practice, in which 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 perceiving emotion in things and capturing it—an art of the ephemeral and an attitude tinged with melancholy in the face of this impermanence. Through his work, he encourages the viewer to contemplate nature not as an object to be possessed, but as a fragile entity.