PORTRAIT
In writing, we have always heard of Nicolas Guérin and we had met his muse and wife Sheri Chiu during a shoot with Martial Lenoir. We therefore contacted them for the number 6 of Normal devoted to Paris, which seemed more suitable for presenting his work, as vast as it is singular. Spontaneously and after a few exchanges of emails, Nicolas suggested that we produce a series on the banks of the Seine, to which we answered yes without hesitation.
Tranquility obliges the duo to meet us on the Ile de la Cité in the early morning, a few minutes after sunrise. So we walked on the island, surveying the quays and the alleys, vigilant and attentive to the slightest flashing lights in the distance, greeted warmly by the few passers-by enjoying the view and the landscape, to the delight of our model. Nicolas now divides his time between portraits, fashion, and his personal projects, especially nude. He works from his studio in Saint-Denis, travels constantly and collaborates with prestigious international journals. Nicolas is currently producing a series of erotic nude projects and continues to travel the world creating images.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
How do you view photography?
I look at photography like a drowning man would sometimes look at a lifeline, or like an alcoholic would look at an empty bottle! Photography is everywhere in my life, all the time, whether I'm working on it or not. I travel by and for photography, most often with my wife, Sheri, who poses for me. I therefore have an intimate and daily relationship with the photographic act, which is essential to me… And I really don't know how to do anything else! I started photography at the age of 30, self-taught. I needed to change my life, photography saved me from boredom. Very young I had been marked by the discovery of Helmut Newton, Irving Penn and Guy Bourdin thanks to the covers of Photo magazine. I was 15, I didn't know anything, but I felt that their creative gestures were strong and a little sulphurous. There was a scent of freedom and transgression. When I needed freedom I went to photography.
What are the aspects that still fascinate you and those that annoy you?
What annoys me, I exclude it from my life as much as possible... What fascinates me again and again is the encounter with the subject, the model, and the question of distance, gradually evacuated and replaced during the session. It is a relationship of acceptance, a mirror too. It's fascinating to watch the evolution of your own work over time. Why did I photograph like that 10 years ago and how did I come to photograph differently today? What are the repeating patterns and where are the freedoms gained? The switch to a more intimate and erotic type of image happened when I met my wife, Sheri. The question of distance is evacuated, and replaced by that of the gaze, of the imagination. Having the same model as a subject over several years forces you not to go around in circles, to experiment more. Photographing Sheri on a regular basis questions our relationship, and I am the first witness to its evolution. For some time the nature of our collaborations has changed, it is entirely associated with the creative process, we exchange images of inspiration, we do location scouting together when we shoot outside and we edit the images together... a new way of working, more rewarding for both of us, and a way of enjoying photography as a couple.
What fills you with happiness?
This unpredictable moment that we could call grace. When the random elements line up and everything becomes clear, it usually doesn't last long and you have to know how to make the most of it...
- Find the continuation of Nicolas Guerin dansNormal Magazine No. 6 -
