Elyse De Montis

Elyse de Montis

Location:


Hello, I'm a transdisciplinary artist from Paris.

I studied art in the national school of art of the Villa Arson in Nice. Then, I studied cinema in the ESRA school of Paris. I graduated in 2020.

I migrated to Luxembourg to start working as a documentary directress for the Konschthal Esch museum. I also directed my first short, "Better Elsewhere.s", which received the honorable mention of the NRFF Amsterdam in the international shorts category.

I came back to Paris after the covid, where I started directing my first feature documentary "Conquest of Grace". That experience lead to create my last photographic series "Safe".

For more informations about my photographic series, please read my portfolio below. 

For more informations about my cinematic work, please visit my website : www.elysedemontis.work/ 

Portfolio:

Photography

I've been developing a documentary and contemplative photographic work since 2014.

In my photographies, I often observe the interactions between people and spaces. How we shape space. And how specific spaces can shape us.

" Porous shivers " was my first series. It was driven by a reflection on the human imprint on matter.

After that, I focused on the notion of natural space for several years with the series « Leave no trace ».

As I was attending the destruction of a former Nazi camp by a promoter, I started the series " Soon virgin ". In it, I captured modern ruins meant to be erased.

Then, I dived into the world of feminist parties. I wanted to crystallize the unusual dialogue between vigilance and letting go that I saw there. This is how I created the series " Safe ".

Sleeping beauty “Sleeping beauty”

Safe is a series about feminist parties.
These parties are specially designed to allow women and other minorities to really cut loose. I wanted to crystallize the unusual dialogue between vigilance and letting go that I felt there. Those shots question our relationship with intimacy and safety in public spaces.

This photography was taken during an Halloween girls only party. This young woman fell asleep next to the dancefloor. A posture she probably wouldn't have dared to have in a mixed party. The princess dress she was wearing made the picture even stronger in my eye, as princesses are a symbol of vulnerability in our culture. In this special space, she was able to be that vulnerable person for a long moment without any risk.

Simple apparat “Simple apparat”

Safe is a series about feminist parties.
These parties are specially designed to allow women and other minorities to really cut loose. I wanted to crystallize the unusual dialogue between vigilance and letting go that I felt there. Those shots question our relationship with intimacy and safety in public spaces.

In this festival, people would be encouraged to party naked if they wanted to, without it being necessarily considered as erotic. For them, it would be more of a full let-go experience. This woman with rhinestones on her chest was bursting of joy and very proud to have caught my eye. She showed me her tattoo, pointing how important it was to connect with one's inner child.

Tipping over the cart “Tipping over the cart”

Soon virgin is a series about industrial and war-related ruins meant to be erased.

In this particular shot, we are inside a former steel plant that was abandoned after the fall of the mining industry in Luxembourg. This industry collapsed because of the regularization of the working conditions of the miners, which led to increase the production costs. After the shooting, the place was destroyed and replaced by offices.

Now destroyed “Now destroyed”

" Soon virgin " is a series about industrial and war-related ruins meant to be erased.

In this picture, you can see the sky from the heart of a steel factory that's been abandoned. It got replaced by new buildings soon after the shooting.

Dunes “Dunes”

« Leave no trace » is a series about the notion of natural space.
I started it when I dived into the world of a van-lifer for several months. On our path, we crossed tourists, locals, and other nomads. Wether we directly noticed it or not, we were all bound to have a deleting impact on natural spaces, whereas we were all searching for them.

In this particular shot, a woman is sunbathing on a beach. A natural dune is behind her. The lifeless sand she is sleeping on is the result of human presence on the beach. I found compelling the ressemblance between the shape of her back and the shape of the dune, like an echo of this slow terraforming.

Break the ice “Break the ice”

« Leave no trace » is a series about the notion of natural space.
I started it when I dived into the world of a van-lifer for several months. On our path, we crossed tourists, locals, and other nomads. Wether we directly noticed it or not, we were all bound to have a deleting impact on natural spaces, whereas we were all searching for them. This ambivalent posture stroke me. I wanted to catch this half-contemplative / half-mourned vision that was hitting me every now and then.

In this particular shot, we can see a beautiful frozen lake at sunset. Rocks and sticks are scattered on its surface. They were thrown at it to try to break the ice.