Laurent Chéhère

The Flying Houses, begun in 2006, is a poetic vision of Paris through which the author questions his era with documentary, aesthetic and intimate concerns. Inspired by poor and cosmopolitan neighborhoods, he isolates these buildings from their urban context and frees them from the anonymity of the street to tell the life, dreams and hopes of these inhabitants. Nostalgia for a lost time also feeds this work of memory. Resurrecting buildings from the past, he tries to rediscover the taste of childhood and innocence. It is also a wonderful pretext to invite these inspirations as Jules Verne, Hayao Miyazaki, Albert Robida, Moebius, Bruce Davidson, Robert Doisneau, Willy Ronis, Wim Wenders, Federico Fellini, William Klein, Jean Cocteau and Marcel Carné. These photomontages of hundreds of elements assembled like a puzzle are shown in large format and allow the curious observer to discover hidden details by offering several readings. From afar, these fragile vessels appear carefree and dreamy. Up close, the story is more complex. The artist uses this distance to offer different points of view and warn against preconceived ideas. Love, drama, laughter and tears… everything is intertwined in this human comedy. Laurent Chéhère gives us some keys, yet these Flying Houses remain open to everyone’s interpretation and imagination.