MAISON RUINART AWARD

Cette constante brûlure de l'air # 1 © Matthieu Gafsou / Courtoisie Galerie C / Ruinart

Organised by Maison Ruinart with the Picto Foundation, this award aims to shine light on the work of young photographers. Ruinart invites them to take part in an artistic residence in the Champagne region and unveil the photos they capture during this time at Paris Photo

For its 4th edition, the Prix Maison Ruinart was awarded to photographer Matthieu Gafsou. Given by Maison Ruinart, with the support of the Picto Foundation, it recognises the talent of up-and-coming photographers chosen from the “Curiosa” section of Paris Photo. Following an artistic residence in the Champagne region this summer, Matthieu Gafsou created a series entitled Cette constante brûlure de l’air (This Constant Burning of the Air), which will be presented for the first time at the 2022 edition of Paris Photo, from 10th-13th November, at the Grand Palais Éphémère.

Inspired by nature and the people working at Maison Ruinart, Matthieu Gafsou created a series of mysterious, contrasting images. With heightened sensitivity, he subtly evokes contemporary concerns about the environment and biodiversity.

At first glance, the images he took during the intense summer heat of 2022 show banal scenes of light-hearted tourists, arcadian landscapes and a welcoming town. However, a source of disruption quickly catches the eye. Absurdity emerges from the images that the artist has stained with crude oil to make the constantly burning air palpable. By using a hydrocarbon as pigment, the artist reveals what is invisible and expresses the paradox of our times: everything seems so normal, yet our environment is brutally changing.