IN-DEPENDANCE is delighted to present ‘Memories of the Orient’, a solo exhibition of photographer FLORE. FLORE, born in 1963, is a French-Spanish photographer. She began her journey into photography in 1977 and, after completing her studies in Toulouse, she moved to Paris, where she continues to live and work. Her oeuvre is characterised by a poetic and timeless quality, often achieved through analog photography and alternative processes. The exhibition ‘Memories of the Orient’ brings together four series of the artist: ‘L’odeur de la nuit était celle du jasmin’,‘Lointains souvenirs’, ‘Maroc, un temps suspendu’ and ’Tamaris, villas et merveilles’.
‘L'odeur de la nuit était celle du jasmin’ (2020) is a photographic series delving into the evocative landscapes of Indochina, humid monsoons and the beauty of Mekong, inspired by the early life of the French writer Marguerite Duras. In this series, FLORE intertwines her personal childhood memories with stories of her grandparents, who lived at the same time and in the same places as Marguerite Duras, and bathed her childhood in unfathomable mysteries which today nourish a common imagination between her and the writer. This personal connection allows her to delve into shared imaginations and histories, creating a bridge between her own experiences and those of the renowned author, creating a poetic and immersive journey into the heart of beautiful Indochina.
In ‘L’odeur’ FLORE continues to ‘photographically invent’ a mythical Indochina, that she already started in her earlier series ‘Lointains souvenirs’ (2016). In this first series about Marguerite Duras’ adolescence, the artist takes the viewer on a journey between Vietnam and Cambodia, drawing her intimate knowledge of places and writings from her own family history.
Another series presented at the exhibition, ‘Maroc, un temps suspendu’ (2018), continues FLORE’s autobiographical exploration, delving into themes of memory and personal history. Here, the artist reflects on her vagabond childhood experiences in Morocco, the wonder of discovering Morocco during a long crossing of the country by mother and daughter alone in the 1970s.
Lastly, with the series ‘Tamaris, villas et merveilles’ (2023) FLORE presents a tribute to the writer George Sand's time in the Tamaris region and the plant gatherings she carried out, through a series of portraits of Tamaris' remarkable villas and a poetic herbarium created from the flowers of their gardens.
FLORE was awarded the Prix de Photographie by the Académie des Beaux-Arts - Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière (2018). Her art has been showcased in esteemed institutions, including the Le Petit Palais Museum, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Marrakech Museum for Photography and Visual Arts, and the Mémorial du Camp de Rivesaltes. Beyond her personal projects, FLORE is a dedicated educator, regularly conducting masterclasses to share her expertise.
Artists: FLORE
