Marcher sur l’eau (Walking on Water)
Amélie Viale
2017
Print on Mat Supérieur paper 190g/m2
30 cm x 45 cm
Edition 2/20
Amélie Viale’s photography “Marcher sur l’eau” (Walking on Water) shows a person in a red dress and with robust footwear standing on a latter, which is placed on a beach. It is most probably a woman, but the upper body and the head is cut by the picture’s edge. In consequence, it is quasi an anti-bust, which is depicted in the profile. The latter is positioned frontally and centrally in the vertical. Horizontally, the top step is lined up with the horizon. Thus, the supporting right leg seems to stand on the water. Moreover, under the models outstretched left foot, a rock raises in form of a scalene triangle. The parallelism of sole and the sloping rock gives the impression that at any moment the person will step with the free leg on the rock. Although, the artist has captured a frozen moment, this posture expresses a certain dynamic. In consequence, the observer can imagine a movement forward. Hence the title “Walking on Water”.
However, considering the traditional occidental way to read a picture from left to right, the protagonist’s movement to the left blocks the contemplation. Starting at the lower left image edge, the view is stopped by the latter and directed to the top centre to leave there the image space there. A similar effect is perceptible, when beginning at the upper left image edge: the raising rock guides us to the outstretched leg, which leads again to the top, even though a little bit slower. This experience generates a certain lightness of the person and with that the impression of a state of suspense of her. The pastel colours of the sky underline this perception, at the same time as the to the top narrowing latter on the sand and the missing upper body part and head. Moreover, the colour contrast between the delicate shades of the environment and the black legs and the red dress, shifts the compositional centre of gravity and with that the attention of the contemplator to the upper centre of the photo. This also encourages the effect of floating, even though the protagonist is anchored by the latter.
The state of suspense could be a metaphor for the Christmas season, since the photo was made in this period. During the four weeks before Christmas, Christians are preparing for the commemoration of Jesus’ birth, which is, together with Easter and Pentecost, central to the liturgical year in Christianity. A hint to the feast also might be the red dress that could refer to more pagan traditions like the red dressed Santa Claus and the dominant colour of decoration in this season.
However, the photo was made during a journey to Spain. Instead of a simple season holiday, the trip was part of Amélie’s research on utopian architects, like Ricardo Bofill. “Walking on Water” is not part of her resulting series “Jeux Utopistes” (Utopian Games) but might refer to it. The protagonist in the photo steps with robust shoes dynamically to the left. In the occidental way to read a picture, this could mean, she is heading to the past. Figuratively this could mean that she is going to visit monuments built in former times, to study the ideas of these utopian architects. In this sense, the detected suspense could be a symbol of a journey into a so far unknown or not much known conceptual world. Hereby the tough footwear could be practically, because of the need to walk a lot or also to underline the determination to find new insights. Moreover, the by the photo realised impossibility of walking on water might be a metaphor for the attempt of the architects to build utopias in stone.
A statement by the artist provides an additional interpretation: “The impossibility of walking on water, traditionally associated with prophetic figures, invites us to reflect on their representation: what if, in this work, that spiritual guide is a woman? This question enlarges not only the interpretation of the photograph, but also emphasises themes of femininity and the challenge of redefining power and spirituality. Moreover, the ladder I used belonged to my grandfather and father. This reinforces the reflection on family dynamics and masculine legacies.” (1)
“Walking on Water” is a good example of Amélie’s working method. On one hand, she is often her own model and uses a remote shutter, like here. In consequence, the results are auto portraits, though her appearance, in particular her face remains hidden. On the other hand, the context of her photographs are frequently journeys, where she is accompanied by unusual companions. In our case it is the latter, which refers to construction and with that also to architecture. Additionally, the latter is the second protagonist in the photo, beside Amélie herself.
Amélie Viale
Born in 1982 in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, France, Amélie Viale studied applied art and interior design in Lyon. During this education, she specialised in computer graphics. Until 2019, she worked as graphic designer. At the same time, she further developed her artistic oeuvre and started to expose her works. Since then, she dedicates herself completely to visual art with a focus on photography, performance and installation.
In her work, Amélie reflects on her personal experience. Thus, she is often the main protagonist in her oeuvres. A starting point for this strategy is the series “Holidays” from 2014, where she photographed herself with an iron at the marshalling yard of Fos Coussoul in Fos-sur-Mer, France. In doing so, she questions the influence of domestic work on the female emancipation. The photo “Allez viens ! on part en vacances.” (Come on! we are going on holiday.) from this series is our artwork of the month in January 2022.
Subsequently, Amélie inquired inter alia about her feelings after a passed relationship, motherhood and her efforts to do unpleasant tasks. Her travels and residencies influence her research about the significance of femininity for herself and in the society. Travelling alone through Poland, she photographed herself in the hotel rooms where she stayed. The outcome of her investigation “Vous Voyagez seule ?” (Are you traveling alone?) was on view in many personal and group exhibitions.
With her investigation “L’art de guérir” (The Art of Healing) about the invisible in caring, Amélie tried to detect hidden energetic connections between therapist and patient using an infrared camera. With her “Laboratoire de soins artistiques” (Laboratory of artistic care), founded in 2022, she invites the public to participate and gives space for co-creations. For example, she encouraged people to collect water to fill it in a roll-on stick in order to use it for individually specified care. This indicates her further research for bridges between art and spirituality.
However, Amélie also focusses on more rooted to soil subjects, for example architecture. For her series “Jeux Utopistes” (Utopian Games), she reviewed building ensembles by utopian architects. On a journey to Spain, where she studied works by Ricardo Bofill and his studio, she also made photos beside the official series, but with the same unusual companion: a latter. One of these pictures, “Marcher sur l’eau” (Walking on Water), is our Artwork of the Month / November 2024.
Since 2010, Amélie’s works were on view in many solo and group exhibitions, mainly in France, but also in Italy, Belgium, Canada and Chile. She made several artist-in-residencies and published some micro-editions about her artistic project. Additionally, she is founding member of the “Collectif 867”, an artist residence in Saint-Étienne-des-Oullières, France. In October 2024, the “Collectif 867” showed the outcome of their common work in the exhibition “Passage-des-Serments”. From 1st to 3rd of November 2024 Amélie organises the virtual happening “Reliques Cryptiques” on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/amelie_viale/, where she opened her archive to make the invisible tangible. On Friday 13th December, the artist proposes a performance in Paris as invitation to discover her oeuvre and to enable a form of healing to the spectators (32 rue Saint-Paul, district The Marais).
Amélie lives and works in Lissieu, France.
(1) The artist sent this statement via e-mail to me (Astrid Gallinat), 24 October 2024