Until 7 December, the Carole Kvasnevski gallery is the setting for an exhibition by French artist Arlette Kotchounian entitled “Mon image par toi, C’est comme de la musique…”. This artistic journey plunges visitors into a vibrant and captivating atmosphere, where photographs and precious archives from a musically effervescent era are brought to life with sparkle.
“My images have been published on record sleeves, in books and in the press. Today, I’m delighted that Galerie Carole Kvasnevski is giving me a space to pay them a special tribute with this exhibition, and proud and happy that other of their peers, most of whom are no longer with us and who bear witness to the musical encounters I had in the 80s, are sharing this moment with them“. These words, imbued with a deep emotional drive, powerfully convey Arlette Kotchounian’s passion for a past when music, with a predilection for jazz, illuminated lives and souls. Memories of musical icons such as Claude Nougaro and Ray Charles shine through her work, celebrating the magic of a time when art and melody came together to make the world vibrate.
“Mon image par toi, C’est comme de la musique…” is more than just an exhibition; it’s an invitation to plunge into the vibrant musical universe of the 1970s and late 1980s, through the lens of Arlette Kotchounian. An author, composer and performer, this multi-faceted artist has immortalised every significant moment in her career, her experiences and her encounters. Today, she presents us with an exhibition steeped in nostalgia, celebrating a rich and abundant past.
Arlette Kotchounian’s love affair with music began in the lively clubs of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. A singer-songwriter since the 1960s, she has explored the worlds of jazz and French chanson, as well as international and popular music. Her life is punctuated by unforgettable encounters. In 1976, she felt the need to preserve memories of the precious moments shared with artists and musicians, both on stage and backstage, in the intimacy of their exchanges. She met such legends as Claude Nougaro, Les Rita Mitsouko, Jane Birkin, Françoise Hardy, Yvette Horner, Gilberto Gil, Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett. She composed songs for Ray Charles, Claude François, Jean Guidoni and Sacha Distel, and even designed an album cover for Caetano Veloso.
Little by little, photography became the extension of an experience rich in music, images and emotions. Arlette Kotchounian has had the honour of exhibiting her work at the Philharmonie de Paris, the Royal Monceau, Miami Basel, the Hôtel Lutetia, the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Jazz Festival and the Villa Noailles in Nice. Each exhibition is a celebration of his career, an ode to music and to those fleeting moments that, thanks to his eye, become eternal.
This year, the Carole Kvasnevski gallery in Paris is unveiling a brand new solo exhibition celebrating Arlette Kotchounian’s career and the magical moments immortalised by her lens. For the first time, the gallery is presenting her photographs, a veritable archive of the music scene, from Saint-Germain-des-Prés jazz to Brazilian popular music, soul and French chanson. Through black and white portraits, she captures moments of joy and elation, but also moments of deep intimacy where the camera is discreet, almost invisible. Photographs, personal archives and films punctuate this exhibition, offering an immersive dive into the heart of the artist’s life.
“Arlette’s eye takes us backstage, on tour, in hotels, to places where time is suspended, sheltered for a moment from the flashbulbs and the hubbub. There, it’s the beaches of Salvador de Bahia, the facetiousness of Luiz Melodia, Gilberto Gil in conversation with his guitar, or the making of a Caetano Veloso album cover that Arlette signs. Arlette shows us the stage, but also the precarious calm between two scenes, the voluptuousness of a garden chair, a bed, a bench, the crowd, the solitude. The characters, aliases and pseudonyms that fade into the background or, on the contrary
assert themselves as two sides of the same coin. To go through the exhibition Mon image par toi, C’est comme de la musique… is to open a visual album that plays with borders and eras.
It’s about experiencing the poetics of the portrait, with its lyrical, psychological, almost mystical scope, and ultimately its very human dimension. The talent of the pose, the genius of the moment. Mon image par toi… has its share of powerful images, showing artists at their best. Light and shadow rub shoulders, mingling and marrying. Arlette Kotchounian delivers a symphony revisited from the intimate to the unconditional gift of her whole being on stage…” says Flavien Louh, director of the Carole Kvasnevski Gallery.
‘Mon image par toi, C’est comme de la musique…’ is an exhibition that weaves together encounters, passions, friendships and the need to capture emotions. It offers us a glimpse into bits of life, unexpected rendezvous, hectic experiences and unlikely encounters. Through her works, Arlette Kotchounian visually recounts these shared stories and evokes the beauty of the late 20th century.
Too little known by the general public, Arlette Kotchounian’s work deserves to be brought to light and appreciated for its true worth, so powerful and unique are the stories she wishes to share. Each photograph carries a remarkable power that captures the essence of the moment.
So it was a natural step for the Carole Kvasnevski Gallery and Arlette Kotchounian to collaborate, resulting in an unmissable artistic event. This exhibition is an invitation to discover the artist’s unique view of the musical world around her, and promises to be a not-to-be-missed event for all photography and music enthusiasts.