Marie Valognes

Marie Valognes is a visual artist who works primarily with photography and moving image. Her practice, which straddles fiction and documentary, is rooted in obsession and observation.

Marie routinely identifies patterns and motifs in mundane daily events and interpersonal relationships, which often form the foundation of her concept-driven work. Through her lens, a well-used, often-neglected object is elevated to the status of a symbol; an easily overlooked idiosyncrasy tells a poignant story.

The results are inquisitive, often humorous, and intentionally touching: an image might recontextualise consumption, tenderness, or human psychology, with a profound specificity. Above all else, the artist seeks to forge a connection with her viewer, which fact lends her photographs a kind of integrity often lost in an image-obsessed age.

Marie first trained as a fashion designer, where she developed a fascination with clothing as a means to build and explore three-dimensional objects. This attention to detail continues to inform her work, in which the concept is key. From painstakingly composed still-life photographs to her distinctive sculptures, which recreate prêt-a-porter looks from household items, these evocative images are executed in service to the idea behind them.

Whether creating images, art projects, or operating at the intersection of both, Marie maintains an alluringly objective eye. She conjures stirring metaphors and cheeky comparisons with props and poses, or unexpected perspectives. Above all, she seeks to communicate something more than the untrained eye can see.

Marie was born in France and is currently based in London.