Reflections by conceptual photographer Paul Rousteau

Paul Rousteau is a French photographer born in 1985, renowned for his experimental and painterly approach to photography. His work blurs the boundaries between photography, painting, and digital art, often exploring themes of abstraction, color, and perception.

Artistic Style and Approach

Rousteau’s photography is characterized by vibrant colors, optical distortions, and a deliberate embrace of imperfections. He challenges conventional photographic techniques by incorporating elements typically considered mistakes, such as chromatic aberrations and blurs, to create images that evoke emotion and introspection. His aim is to “sublimate the visible and show the invisible,” crafting visuals that are both hallucinatory and contemplative .

Influenced more by painters than photographers, Rousteau draws inspiration from artists like Pierre Bonnard, Giotto, Emil Nolde, Fra Angelico, David Hockney, Picasso, and Hieronymus Bosch. This influence is evident in his use of color and composition, which often resemble the qualities of paintings.

Education and Background

Rousteau’s artistic journey began at a Steiner-Waldorf school, fostering a foundation in creativity and alternative thinking. At 18, he pursued art studies at Saint-Luc Tournai in Belgium, followed by photography studies at the Vevey School of Photography (CEPV) in Switzerland. Rather than adhering strictly to technical perfection, he focused on integrating so-called photographic “mistakes” into his work, developing a unique aesthetic that challenges traditional norms.(Sources: Les Nouveaux Riches Magazine, thelightobserver.com)

Exhibitions and Collaborations

Rousteau’s work has been showcased in numerous solo exhibitions across Europe, including:

• “Vis-à-vis” at Galerie Romero Paprocki, Paris (2024)
• “Paul, la Plage & les Peintres” at Villa Noailles, France (2024)
• “Seascapes” at Forma Art Contemporain, Switzerland (2021)
• “Eden” at Galerie du Jour Agnès b., France (2017)

He has also collaborated with prominent brands and publications, including Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, The New York Times, Vogue Paris, and Harper’s Bazaar.

Notable Projects

In 2019, Rousteau participated in an artist residency organized by the French Embassy in Australia, spending 12 days aboard a sailing boat in the Coral Sea. This experience inspired his “Seascapes” series, a collection of 62 images that blend photography with digital manipulation to capture the essence of the sea’s vastness and mystery.

Online Presence

Official website—photographer Paul Rousteau

“When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin. He was lying on his back as hard as armor plate, and when he lifted his head a little, he saw his vaulted brown belly, sectioned by arch-shaped ribs, to whose dome the cover, about to slide off completely, could barely cling. His many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, were waving helplessly before his eyes.” The Metamorphosis – Kafka