Photography by Elyse de Montis

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.

In 2014, I created my first series, Porous shivers. I was driven by a reflection on the human imprint on matter.

In the same vein, I focused on the notion of natural space in the « Leave no trace » series (2016 - 2021). In it, I explored the world of a van-lifer over several months. On our path, we crossed tourists, locals, and other nomads. Each of us was bound to have a deleting impact on natural spaces, whereas we were searching for them.

Then, I created two series dealing with the observation of the female body : Under the hips (2018), which depicts a swimming pool with an equivocal layout, and Waiting for Orphée (2020), which attempts to sublimate a “transgressive” pregnancy.

In 2021, I moved to Luxembourg. As I was witnessing the destruction of a former Nazi camp by a promoter, I created the series Soon virgin (2020). It is part of a wider series that I developed over six years, which is about memory in urban planning : Deconstruct to reconstruct ? (2016 - 2022).

In 2022, I dived into the alternative French party scene for my movie Conquest of Grace. It lead me to create the photographic series Safe (2022 - 2024). In it, I crystallize the vigilance and letting go that intertwine at parties. These stills tend to question our relationship with intimacy in public spaces.

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