Introducing SLAB

Of the Laborde Family, we are pleased to introduce to you Aurelien’s older brother, Stephane. Not a sculpture like Aurelien, but a photographer. Could sensitivity and artistic fiber be genetic ? This case seems to suggest just that.

Stephane grew up in an artistic environment which all naturally led him to create as well ; his grandfather, uncle and even his mother all exercise an artistic activity. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve always created…drawing and sculpting; I’ve always loved wood-working. In drawing, I was a very good copyist, but I never found MY style, my identity and I was never truly satisfied with the fruit of my own creativity.”

Stephane speaks of « frustration » in many respects. That of his desire and his need to create yet never really finding his media. And, from steering away from creating artistically in order to continue his studies and go towards a professional life. “If it was to do all over again, I probably would have chosen a different career path than that of an accountant, in order to devote myself entirely to artistic creation or to a craft, at the very least.” Stephane went on to pursue a life, reconciling family and work, in Paris where he felt cramped, while the rest of his family lived in the Basque region. When he turned 35, he decided to leave the capital to reunite with his loved ones, including his brother Aurelien. And thus began Stephane’s artistic story.

In addition to the happiness found from changing environments, Stephane was delighted to be reunited with his brother. At the time, the latter was practicing photography, and the two brothers made it a habit to meet up and go on « expeditions” in order to practice; sometimes at night, sometimes in prohibited areas; their heads filled with ideas and desires and a strong will to improve their techniques in order to master shadows, light and haziness…

Stephane caught the photo bug, and it hasn’t left him since. “Photography became visceral; it’s now a part of me.” He got intense pleasure from taking pictures during trips and on vacation, or during surf sessions. Pleasure from the exercise itself but also from visualizing and editing his pictures afterwards. But never with any artistic aspirations or ambitions, just for the mere pleasure of it. Landscapes (natural or urban), waves and surfers. Without thinking it through, he listened to his desires and shot whatever moved him and played upon his feelings. “The way a musical sound, a landscape or view will move me to such a point that I feel the emotion overwhelm me. With photography, I try to freeze these intense yet simple moments of happiness.” Stephane Laborde continually improves his technique as to take pictures that are as true to what he sees and to what he feels. He explores and experiments, for example, toying with “long pauses” to shoot waves and surfers, all of which became a series.

Nonetheless, technique does not suffice. There is magic in the “unique moment” which Stephane loves and respects dearly : “Beauty is a matter of alchemy; photography simply allows us to capture it. There must be good weather and good lighting conditions, the right moment, the right angle…”. Stephane lined up his shots with always more stringent requirements and pleasure. His entourage encouraged him to expose his work… Stephane also wanted to see his photos on paper and to be able to share his bliss. That is how he came to submit his artworks to us, and in consequence, how I ended up meeting him and his work, which I immediately fell in love with…

Stephane’s artistic quality lies in his sensitivity, reflected by his photos and the minimalism he so values, studies and explores : to extract the essence of a moment, a subject, and the accurate translation of his emotion. By working with haziness and the focus point, and through his lighting and minimalism, he succeeds in making us forget the subject at hand, but rather to project ourselves in the grandeur and power of what he photographs. His photos impel us softly towards something “greater and more meaningful than ourselves”. “I love minimalism because it brings out the grandeur, it’s how I love to feel things; the way I will photograph a tiny daisy in a field or a house lost in the immensity of a landscape. And I am sad for all those who miss out on the beauty of simplicity. This prompts me to show my photographs : to share this beauty and sensitivity. That’s also why I love to photograph what people see and what they photograph themselves but without truly appreciating the essence. I see otherwise hence I photograph otherwise” he says.

As I listen to him speak, I suddenly realize what it was that affected me most in his artworks, what distinguishes him and his work. His photos take me elsewhere, beyond what they represent…Stephane Laborde creates a means of escape, a voyage, like abstraction does, but with the most figurative of all : photography. It isn’t surprising that his photos resemble paintings, causing us even to doubt. With his view, his process and his quest for minimalism, he allows us to see beyond the subject in order to make us feel what he considers to be beauty. He allows to see what he sees, to see the things we miss out on. Indeed : “there is still so much to explore and share” ; Stephane does not plan on stopping here and intends to surprise and stir us even more.

But Stephane Laborde is not pretentious, quite the contrary, for he sees his artworks with a very humble eye. The merging of this genuine quality along with his sincerity and photographic technique is undoubtedly conducive to the resulting artworks…

We are delighted to present to you and allow you to discover the fruit of his work, and we hope you, too, will appreciate its singularity. Emerging artist ? Absolutely, and we wish Stephane plentyof success, and we hope to see him quickly join the ranks of our Master category !