The thoughts of a dead leave
Work in progress
This project is simply a celebration of autumn through portraits of fallen leaves. Initiated in the fall of 2023, this atlas currently features over 350 leaves, a negligible number considering the countless leaves that fall every year. The idea of creating a photographic inventory has a long tradition, but here, it is an unattainable inventory.
Photography transforms these leaves into aesthetic and graphic objects, revealing the extraordinary beauty of a mundane daily life that is often overlooked. Each leaf is a unique sculpture. While this work may evoke the illustrations of botanists, I choose not to name these leaves. On one hand, it is impossible for me to do so, and on the other hand, naming them might detract from the viewer's encounter with these leaves, whose individuality I emphasize by portraying them. Zen philosophy holds that naming things already limits them.
This work, like many of my other projects, highlights the ephemeral nature and the passage of time. I plan to enrich this atlas every year, create a dedicated website, and if possible, publish a book.
