The Charles Nègre Photography Museum Gallery hosts a major exhibition titled “Retrospective,” showcasing the work of Nice-based photographer, Patrick Hanez. From June 30 to September 10, 2023, visitors will have the opportunity to discover a carefully selected range of photographic works that demonstrate the artist’s versatility and artistic sensitivity.
For over forty years, Patrick Hanez has explored various styles of photography, thereby capturing the many beauties of the world around him. Based on the Côte d’Azur, he has naturally been inspired by marine landscapes, but has also ventured into other genres such as Urbex, portraiture, abstraction, and even culinary photography. His passion for photographic art has earned him numerous awards, including the recognition of one of his works by the prestigious Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris in 2017. Today, in addition to his artistic work, Patrick Hanez holds the position of artistic director at a major international group.
The “Retrospective” exhibition offers visitors a unique insight into Patrick Hanez’s career evolution. Being a native of Nice, he began exploring the world of film photography at the age of 26, quickly earning local fame. He had the opportunity to participate in workshops led by a famous Nice-based photographer, where he learned the basics of photographic art, from image composition to mastering light, while sharing his vision with other enthusiasts. With the advent of digital photography, he was able to combine his artistic vision with image processing tools, such as Adobe Photoshop, with which he continues to work.
Patrick Hanez draws his inspiration from great names in photography such as Robert Doisneau, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Lucien Clergue, and Philippe Plisson. Whether in color or black and white, his favorite subjects are vast and varied, ranging from sports event reports to the circus world, including flowers and abstraction. However, his passion for the sea and boats has earned him particular recognition. Since 2006, he has participated in numerous classic sailing regattas on the Côte d’Azur, capturing the majestic beauty of these sailboats in his photographs.
When discussing his relationship with the world of the sea, Patrick Hanez states: “The world of the sea attracts me: reflections, boat hulls at the level of abstraction, sailboats… The Côte d’Azur is a very beautiful region that lends itself to such shots. At sea, with the spray on your face, you feel a freedom conducive to creation. Fishing for images in these conditions is a real pleasure!”
Over the years, Patrick Hanez has developed increasing recognition in the field of photography. He has become the official photographer of the Venetian Carnival on the Île de la Cité in Paris, as well as the press correspondent for the Côte d’Azur for the Italian magazine in France, La Voce. His photographs have also been published in renowned magazines such as Runway Magazine, which attracted the attention of the magazine’s Europe director.
For this exceptional exhibition, Patrick Hanez’s works have been printed on Fujifilm silver halide photographic paper, using the Fujicolor Crystal Archive Professional MAXIMA and VELVET range, with the company sponsoring the event.
