ARTI’VIEW by ARCHES® Gilles Lorin, a contemporary photographer with a craftsman’s soul
In this latest edition of ARTI’VIEW by ARCHES®, we invite you to discover talented photographer Gilles Lorin. He was born in Aix-en-Provence, France in 1973 and he now lives and works in Brussels, Belgium.
See through his eyes, we discover Gilles Lorin’s highly personal perspective on the delicate beauty of our planet, which he immortalises in exquisite, serene, photographic compositions.
His work is recognised internationally. It is exhibited in Europe and the United States, and his prints feature in a number of private and public collections.
© Gilles Lorin – Self-portrait.
© Gilles Lorin – Self-portrait.
What techniques do you use?
I use many different photographic techniques, both for the shot itself and for making the prints. I see them as offering a wide range of possibilities to express myself artistically, as each different media can produce different atmospheres and create tangible photographic objects. For the shots themselves, I may use 35 mm or 8 x 10″ film, a film or digital camera and even, in some cases, silver gelatin dry plates that I make myself. I also regularly use the wet collodion process, which produces unique works with a very particular aesthetic. When it comes to printing the photos, I prefer platinum prints on ARCHES® Platine paper or on gampi paper. I also use other techniques such as printing on gold leaf or traditional rotogravure printing from copper plates.
In a few words, how would you describe your art?
Photographic objects or works on paper.
What are the subjects that inspire you?
I can be inspired by any subject. I often talk about portraits in my work – whether it’s a person, a tree, a mountain, a building or whatever… I try to capture its essence, a glimpse of its soul and to transcend its beauty.
© Gilles Lorin – Tree Portrait no. 1, 2016 55 x 77 cm. Platinum-palladium on ARCHES® Platine paper.
© Gilles Lorin – Blue Moon study, 2018. 30 x 40 cm. Cyanotype on ARCHES® Platine paper.
© Gilles Lorin – Histoire d’Ô, study no. 4, 2018. 50 x 50 cm. Cyanotype on ARCHES® Platine paper.
© Gilles Lorin – Phalaenopsis, 2012. 57 x 67 cm. Cyanotype on ARCHES® Platine paper.
© Gilles Lorin – Alhambra, study no. 1, 2024. 77 x 57 cm. Platinum-palladium on ARCHES® Platine paper.
In your opinion, who is the greatest artist of all time? Why?
I really couldn’t say… As the son of an antiques dealer, I studied history of art and archaeology, before embarking on a 20-year career specialised in the art of the Far East. I have been privileged to see so many beautiful works produced by artists from every era and continent that I would find it impossible to choose. If I were to choose an artist that I admire, though, it would be Pablo Picasso. If you look at the portrait of his sister he painted on a small panel of wood when he was 16, which is on display in the Picasso Museum in Malaga, you can see straight away the technical mastery and virtually impeccable realism he was capable of even as a teenager. This skill allowed him to spend the rest of his life exploring different styles and materials in a constant quest for creative exploration, reinventing himself over and over. And that’s exactly what I aspire to in my photographic work.
Tell us about a decisive moment in your career as an artist
Above all, acquiring a strong artistic experience means experimenting in the studio and maintaining a sense of wonder when you succeed after trying, failing and trying again. A decisive moment for me was probably my first exhibition at the AIPAD show in New York in 2016 with the Kunsthandel Jörg Maass gallery. They gave me a whole wall to display my work, and I really didn’t know what to expect among so much fine work. The feedback was amazing and really confirmed to me that I was on the right track. I met some brilliant people there, collectors, artists and printers, who have now become friends. One of them was Martin Axon, who was the instigator of the ARCHES® Platine at ARCHES®, and I am in regular contact with him in particular.
© Gilles Lorin – Resilience, 2014. 57 x 77 cm. Platinum-palladium on ARCHES® Platine paper.
© Gilles Lorin – Waterfall, study no. 1, 2018 57 x 77 cm. Platinum-palladium on ARCHES® Platine paper.
What was your first experience of ARCHES® Platine paper?
That goes back more than twenty years. ARCHES® Platine was the only paper specifically designed and adapted for platinum printing, so it was the best option for me. It is still my paper of choice, with its lovely 300 gsm cotton texture and deckle edges. I regularly use the whole sheet, adapting the image to its shape because the paper is work of art in itself and forms an integral part of the photographic work’s final aesthetic effect.
© Gilles Lorin – close-up of a platinum-palladium print on ARCHES® Platine paper.
© Gilles Lorin – The Eye Gaia, 2022. 50 x 50 cm. Platinum-palladium on ARCHES® Platine paper.
ARCHES® paper in one word?
A gem.
What are you currently working on? Do you have any other projects on the go or planned?
I’m working on several series including one called The Alps, as well as a water theme, water being the very essence of life. I continue to follow up threads that present themselves to me and I always have an eye out for things around me. There is no lack of themes and ideas, but what is most important to me is to think about things and find the right aesthetics for my interpretation of them.
Instagram: @gilleslorin
