Oubliée 9 (2023) Photography by Catherine Hélie

For about thirty years, she has been working in pictorial work, mainly with paper and ink. Black and white ink from the beginning; color, more recently. Work that she preferred not to show at first, except on the occasion of a few rare group exhibitions (Draveil, Fresnes, Courbevoie, late 90s). Which only took the form of solo exhibitions from 2003: Galerie Mantoux-Gignac (Paris), Galerie Alain Couturier (Nice), Galerie Daniel Duchoze (Rouen), Église Saint-Ouen de Longpaon. (Darnétal, “Rencontres: des lieux, des artistes, Agglomération de Rouen”). Her recent professional activity (portrait photographer of writers at Éditions Gallimard) put a temporary end to it.

She also carries out precise and concerted photographic work: striving to make “external” sculpture – sculpture considered “poor” or “minor” – altered by time and bad weather – “appear” and be seen. Funerary sculpture (the cemeteries of Paris), ornamental (the caryatids), or religious (the calvaries of Brittany), old dolls… This work only takes on meaning when related to her painting (the “figures” have common features) and to

the sculpture that she herself practices, but does not exhibit.

Catherine Hélie’s painting has given rise to a short catalogue, published by “Rencontres: des lieux, des artistes, Agglomération de Rouen”.

The work on Parisian cemeteries has given rise to several publications and studies; in the mainstream press (Télérama, etc.) as well as in specialist journals (Ligeia, special issue “Photography in vector”, analyzed by the philosopher Jean-Louis Déotte; etc.)

The photographic work of portraits of writers gives rise to countless publications.

• Nationality:
• Date of birth : 1963
• Artistic domains: Works by professional artists,
• Groups: Contemporary French Artists