Paris is an open-air museum, and that’s a fact.
But let’s be honest, who really takes the time to look around? Between endless notifications and the constant rush, we navigate the city on autopilot. And if you’re not lucky enough to take the elevated metro (the only moment when we bother to lift our heads between tunnels), you won’t see much of Paris.
Cycling has helped, sure, but the best way to truly take in the city and discover its details is still on foot. The only foolproof way to realize that at every street corner, a piece of art is silently watching us.
I’ve always been fascinated by statues. Well, to be honest, as a child, I was mostly intrigued by gargoyles (thank you, «Gargoyles» cartoon). Then my fascination shifted to more humanized figures. I was mesmerized by the precision of detail, the sense of movement frozen in marble, stone, or plaster. All of it carved from a single block, with patience and mastery that seemed almost divine.
In my photography practice, finding the right model isn’t always easy, let alone getting them to execute exactly what I have in mind. Then one day, revelation: statues are the perfect models. Unmoving.
And so, this book was born. An exploration of Parisian statues—these silent figures we pass by without always noticing, yet who tell so much about our city, our history, and our aesthetic obsessions.
Enjoy the ride, and don’t forget to look up.