Shimmers
“the way the light shimmers on the surface
and the dark, flip side of it all”
This fragment of a sentence sums up everything I want to convey in words about this series of photographs taken in the Côte d’Azur.
The light side, I refer to, is that which bounces off all shiny surfaces, but especially off the sea.
The dark side is a little more complex. The Côte d’Azur is a destination that’s invaded by visitors and tourists. It offers a hedonistic lifestyle that attracts many in search of escapism, pleasure and fast money. A great deal happens in the shadows here. While working on this series, I often had a quote from Somerset Maugham in my head. He referred to the French Riviera as “a sunny place for shady people.” This fits with what I saw and felt.
In this series, I’ve included many images taken under water. These images literally show a dark and mysterious underside but they are also a metaphor for shady happenings and for the dark that, I believe, is in each of us.
It’s this contrast between the beautiful, shimmering surfaces and the dark, flip side that intrigues me.
Shimmers is my love letter to this place … but it’s a pragmatic, eyes wide open kind of love.
Work in Progress from the Côte d'Azur