We were delighted to host our first artist talk as part of our Creative Series this past November 7th at our Soho Space.

We welcomed climate photographer Christophe Jacrot who sat down for a Q+A with Gallery Owner, Natalie Clifford, to talk about his photography.

Although he is known for photographing ’bad weather’ these normal rain and snow conditions are something that may not be the norm as we experience global warming and environmental change. This brought up the theme of the artist as a photojournalist, who rather than just creating something aesthetically beautiful is perhaps documenting our changing world.

Christophe also talked about his process and technique and how he follows the weather to capture such conditions. We remarked that all of his chosen locations are very photogenic and of course the visual appeal of a place plays a big part in his selection of countries and locations.

The talk gave some insight into the solitary photographer and what inspires him.

The talk was followed by a Q+A from the guests and the launch of the new exhibition.
 

Stay tuned for our next monthly Creative Series event 

which will be a talk chaired by Caitlin Kelly to discuss collecting tips - what to look for, where to start and criteria for consideration for building a collection! Coming soon Dec 4th - stay tuned and sign up for news!

About the Artist

Christophe Jacrot is a French experimental landscape photographer or 'climate' photographer. Jacrot permitted himself to get back into photography in 2008 after abandoning it late in his teens. Although best known for his rain pictures, Christophe explains that they are only part of a portfolio that also explores urban snowscapes, night photography, dramatic cloud scenes and more conventional rural landscapes in bleak conditions. The two unifying factors here are bad weather and his seemingly unquenchable thirst to innovate. 

Asked why he feels compelled to experiment, the answer is 'difficult' : “These are neither documentary photos nor conceptual photos. Rather, they are images in which time and space come together. And I’m happy when my world resonates with those who appreciate my work. This shared feeling, this complicity, touches me because it touches others. There is no calculation, no discourse. It is simply impulse.”

Christophe Jacrot’s work ties in with both the humanist and pictorialist movements of photography. His artistic approach is often likened to that of American street photographers, such as Saul Leiter and Elliott Erwitt, as well as Japanese woodblock artists such as Hiroshige and Hasui, who frequently depicted rain and snow. As Jacrot explains, "Rain, snow, and 'bad weather' conditions offer visual worlds that most of us miss because we’re too busy escaping from them to find shelter. I wanted to capture their nuances of light, their strong evocative power and dramatic tension by adopting an approach that was intentionally pictorial and emotional."

The artist has published five books of his various series. His latest, the sumptuous “Lost in the Beauty of Bad Weather“, published by TeNeues, is described as being the work of "the great French photographer of melancholy", but which Christophe prefers to call "my first "best of" ’’. It’s the ideal introduction to his rain, snow and night images, the pursuit of which have taken him all over the world. The book is a journey through the artist’s entire oeuvre and includes a selection of 380 photos taken between 2008 and 2022 - a collection of 13 years of photos.

Since 2008, Christophe Jacrot has held annual exhibitions in Paris. His photographs have also been shown in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Brussels, Singapore, Shanghai, and Istanbul. His work has achieved considerable success with collectors and reached a wide audience around the world. Upcoming exhibitions in 2024 and 2025 include New York City, Paris, Luxembourg, Geneva and Aix en Provence. The artist has exhibited extensively internationally and has collectors worldwide.