Artist Partner: Alexis Gerard
Meet Alexis Gerard, a longtime Artist Partner and an acclaimed photographer who divides his time between San Francisco and France. Alexis invites us into his creative world, where projects unfold across years, sometimes decades, guided by patience, curiosity, and a deep connection to the right moment.
Alexis Gerard | Artist Partner
Decades of Discovery
What does your creative process look like from start to finish? Can you walk us through the journey of a recent piece?
“I like working on ideas I can develop over the long term. In 1992, I started a project about ancient civilizations that’s still ongoing. Just a few weeks ago, I added the ruins of Carthage to the collection. In 2012, when I photographed Machu Picchu, I did a series of stereo pairs as a starting point for lenticular prints, a kind of print that has a 3D effect without the need to wear glasses. Making those prints requires special equipment though, and at the time I couldn’t find a suitable provider to partner with.
These images sat in my archive until last year, when I finally met the right people. So, twelve years after taking the images, I did conversions to black-and-white and out came a 36 x24 print that knocks my socks off. Now, I’m working on a gallery show of these Peru images, plus those from Easter Island that I shot in 2014.
I don’t do just large projects, though; I photograph all kinds of things all the time. If something I see triggers an emotion, I’ll try to capture it. I love that working with the Farmboy team as it gives me a way to share those images too”.
"I like working on ideas I can develop over the long term. Some projects unfold over decades, waiting for the right people, the right moment, and a fresh set of eyes."
What inspires your work? Are there particular themes, experiences, or artists that influence your art?
“As a teenager, I encountered ‘Be Here Now’, the idea that it’s important to pay deep attention to the present moment. I try to notice things that are usually dismissed as unimportant by the constant thought chatter we have going on, describing and categorizing everything we see. It’s challenging, but when I’m able to photograph like that, I hope the image will convey the emotion of being in that moment.
There are several artists who do this, and have been major inspirations: Photographers including Max Yavno and Aaron Siskind, and iconic painters - Hopper, Monet, and Turner. The humanist photographers of the 20th century - Brassai, Doisneau and Stettner among others, also did this in a different way”.
How has your art evolved over time? Are there any significant changes in your style or approach?
“Switching from film to digital starting around 2005. I had to learn a different exposure technique, and of course be fluent with computers (having worked at Apple for 8 years helped). The biggest challenge though is happening now: Consolidating both the digital and the film work into an integrated archive. It involves scanning thousands of images shot in several film formats, and building a system that connects the scanned versions and the physical originals. When the scans appear on my screen and I see my 1970s and 80s images again after all these years, I notice that my vision hasn’t changed very much. I still respond to the same things.”
Is there a particular piece of art that holds special meaning to you? Why is it significant?
“The zen-like watercolors that my mother painted for pocket money as a young girl have been with me all my life. I’m still in awe of their simple grace. I also treasure and admire the images I have on my walls by my dear friends Ira Nowinski and Bill Dane, and by other dear friends who have passed, and whose prints help connect me to them still: John Stewart, Willem Kriz, Max Yavno, and my mentor Jack Welpott”.
What are some personal milestones or achievements that you’re most proud of?
“I’ll never forget the elation of seeing my first published photo book rise to number one in its category on Amazon France the day of its release, thanks to some very kind media coverage. I’m very proud of that book, “Napoléon - L’Esprit des Lieux” which I co-authored with my partner the photographer Annabelle Matter and with the writer Jean-Christophe Buisson, for the quality of the photography and also because it took a different view of a subject who’s totally caricatured in pop culture. And it’s unique, I don’t know of another photographic biography of a person who lived before photography existed. That book was the culmination of a 3-year project that involved 90,000 miles of travel and more than 80,000 images shot in over 400 locations”.