As part of Photography Month [Mois de la photo], Amaury Klossa (E98) presents his exhibition ‘Entre Sel et Ciel’ [Between Salt and Sky] at the Nery Mariño gallery (8 Rue des Coutures, Saint Gervais, Paris 3^e) until 3 December. We caught up with this self-taught artist whose work combines landscapes and abstraction, serenity and gravitas, emotion and thought. 

ESSEC Alumni: How did you get into photography? 

Amaury Klossa: I inherited this passion from my amateur-photographer father, who devoted his life to showcasing the works of major photographers in addition to museums or companies with an outstanding iconographic heritage. He entrusted me with sophisticated cameras and optics from an early age. Ever since, I never go anywhere without a camera, for fear of missing the opportunity to capture a fleeting moment that speaks to me. 

EA: What were your first photographic efforts? 

A. Klossa: On leaving ESSEC, I went to China for two years to learn the language. I used this opportunity to explore the country off the beaten track and from season to season. Photography intuitively became the obvious way to capture these poetical landscapes, emotion-filled faces and centuries-old customs. 25 years later, I’m still moved by the photos I took at the time and which captured a China that has since vanished in the name of modernity. 

EA: How did you learn the art of photography?

A. Klossa: I’m self-taught! I’ve never taken any lessons. I learnt from my father’s experience above all, and he continues to pass on his knowledge to me today. That said, I work mainly through instinct, at least when it comes to taking a photo. For the development, I’m fortunate to receive the advice of Jean-Michel Berts, an outstanding professional photographer who specialises in black and white and is renowned for his photos of Paris and other iconic capitals. He was one of the first people to believe in my potential, and has been very generous in sharing his experience with me. He helped me with my upcoming exhibition in particular. 

EA: How would you define your artistic realm at present?

A. Klossa: Over the years, I’ve come to focus on nature, the play of light, and geometrical and symmetrical effects. My work draws mainly on landscapes which trigger an emotion and a question at the same time. I try to produce photos which retain an abstract dimension and are not always immediately understandable. Each viewer sees what they want to see. Some of my rock photos evoke dune landscapes or silk veils. Others appear to be caves or cliffs, when they are actually tree barks. I’m fascinated by trees and would love to devote a whole exhibition to them, once I’ve built up a sufficiently large and coherent body of images, which could take years!

EA: In the meantime, you’re presenting your exhibition ‘Entre Sel et Ciel’ [Between Salt and Sky] at the Nery Mariño gallery (8 Rue des Coutures, Saint Gervais, Paris 3^e) until 3 December. What works have you included? 

A. Klossa: The exhibition presents photos taken in a salt desert some 4,000 metres in altitude, lying between Argentina and Chile. This is a particularly arid region which never gets more than 50 millimetres of rain per year. A rain shower is thus an extraordinary event in this exceptionally pure environment, and it creates phantasmagorical landscapes with seemingly unreal reflections. I was fortunate enough to be able to capture some of these moments and produce a series of photos on the geometry of reflections and play of light. The photos evoke peace and serenity, or melancholy and gravitas, especially those in black and white. Photography by definition captures the ephemeral, but this aspect is heightened twofold in this series, both through the rarity of the phenomenon and the fragility of the environment, which is currently threatened by the overexploitation of lithium. Indigenous populations are trying to prevent the destruction of this area, but, as often happens, are powerless against industrial lobbies.

EA: How do you reconcile your art with your professional activities? 

A. Klossa: I’m a partner in a strategic consultancy firm. On one hand, this demanding profession leaves me very little time for other activities. On the other hand, it allows me to work on my photography in all serenity, without material contingencies. And while it is not easy to lack time in an activity which requires patience, anticipation and luck, this constraint has forced me to sharpen my eye and seize the slightest opportunity as soon as it arises. I also take a long-term approach to my photography. Some images which I find individually great do not yet fit into a coherent ensemble, but will probably find their place in future studies. 

EA: Where can we follow your work and how can we support you? 

A. Klossa: I held my first exhibition at the Arnaud Bard gallery in Boulogne last September, alongside three other artists. The exhibition at the Nery Mariño gallery, opposite the Picasso Museum, is a new step for me and a first opportunity to present a series of large formats. I’m currently working on a new exhibition for next year. In the meantime, you can follow me on Instagram: don’t hesitate to like and share! Word-of-mouth is very important in this field and unexpected encounters can sometimes open extraordinary doors to dissemination.

The flash exhibition ‘Entre Sel et Ciel’, runs from 30 November to 3 December 2023, at the Nery Mariño gallery, 8 Rue des Coutures, Saint Gervais, Paris 3^e (metro Saint Paul).

Interview by  Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at  ESSEC Alumni

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