Stéphane Couturier

Stéphane Couturier is a contemporary French photographer renowned for his focus on capturing expansive images of factories, cities, and urban landscapes. His signature style often involves composing images through overlapping and time-lapsed techniques.

Biography of Stéphane Couturier

Stéphane Couturier was born in 1957 in France. In 1994, he debuted his series 'Urban Archaeology,' portraying the city as a dynamic, multifaceted organism. He deliberately avoided elements that evoked poetry, nostalgia, or strangeness in his photographs. Starting in 1999, his attention shifted towards suburban areas.

In 2003, Stéphane Couturier received the Nicéphore Niepce Award.

Since 2012, numerous exhibitions featuring his work have been held in institutions and galleries across France and internationally. Recent solo exhibitions of Couturier's works include "Stéphane Couturier" at Galerie Christophe Gaillard in Brussels (2023), "Constuire par l'image" at Jeu de Paume in Reims (2023), "E-1027+123" at Galerie Christophe Gaillard in Paris (2022), "Show" at Galerie Christophe Guye in Zurich (2021), and many more.  

Stéphane Couturier's works are included in numerous collections, including the Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris), FRAC Alsace (Sélestat), San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts, Art Institute of Chicago, National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa), and Black Gold Museum (Riyadh), among others.

Currently, the artist lives and works in Paris. 

Stéphane Couturier's Art Style

Stéphane Couturier's photographs, whether depicting construction sites in Berlin, demolished buildings in Havana, or an automobile assembly plant in Valenciennes, all center on the theme of transformation. He explores this subject with a keen sense of design and composition, coupled with a distinct use of color.

Starting in 1999, he developed a growing interest in suburban landscapes. This shift in focus led him to explore two distinct subjects: housing blocks and high-rises in his 'Monuments' series, and rapidly expanding housing developments. These generic cities soon became his preferred subject matter.

In 2002, the uniformity and repetitiveness of these global landscapes inspired him to explore the concept of the polyptych. The combinations and interchangeability of elements within a polyptych led to the creation of the 'Landscaping' series. This series invites the viewer to recompose a landscape that blurs the line between reality and fiction.

In 2005, Stéphane Couturier introduced a fresh perspective with his new series titled 'Melting Point'. This body of work focuses on a Toyota assembly plant in Valenciennes, France. Subsequently, the series expanded to include new subjects such as the Indian city of Chandigarh and Brasilia.