honorable mention
Francis Meslet france
title
L'indifférence
During the French Revolution the abbey was sold as national property and partly demolished; the destruction of the church left the western portal and the nave covered with vaults, but the roofs no longer exist. Sections of large arcades lie on the ground and the apse no longer exists, composing among the trees a romantic site such as the artists of the 19th century dreamed of it.
Like time capsules, testifying to a parallel world and perfect for enabling the mind to wander and ponder, Francis Meslet?s melancholic images brave the passage of time, making way for silence after the memories left behind by human inhabitation. In these deserted places, no more than the rustling of the wind can be heard through a broken window or the sound of water dripping from a dilapidated ceiling. These silences nonetheless invite the spectator to slip into these well-guarded and mysterious places captured by the photographer and attempt to bring to life that which has been forgotten.
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entry description
The Cistercian abbey of Trois-Fontaines was founded in 1118; it was the first abbey-daughter of Clairvaux under the abbacy of Saint Bernard.During the French Revolution the abbey was sold as national property and partly demolished; the destruction of the church left the western portal and the nave covered with vaults, but the roofs no longer exist. Sections of large arcades lie on the ground and the apse no longer exists, composing among the trees a romantic site such as the artists of the 19th century dreamed of it.
about the photographer
A graduate in Design from the École des Beaux-Arts de Nancy in 1986, early in his career Francis Meslet was a designer, but soon turned to advertising when he joined several advertising agencies as an artistic director. After 30 years spent questioning the creative concept and studying images in all his compositions, he is now a creative director. Francis Meslet wears several hats; he is notably a renowned photographer who does not hesitate to roam the world in his spare time, searching for abandoned sites, sanctuaries where time seems to have stopped after humans have evacuated them. He thus brings back captivating and melancholic images of his travels to the other side of the world.Like time capsules, testifying to a parallel world and perfect for enabling the mind to wander and ponder, Francis Meslet?s melancholic images brave the passage of time, making way for silence after the memories left behind by human inhabitation. In these deserted places, no more than the rustling of the wind can be heard through a broken window or the sound of water dripping from a dilapidated ceiling. These silences nonetheless invite the spectator to slip into these well-guarded and mysterious places captured by the photographer and attempt to bring to life that which has been forgotten.
back to gallery