Devant la chapelle à Mykonos
In this black-and-white photograph, a solitary figure stands before a small chapel structure in Mykonos. The person faces away from the viewer and reaches toward a bell. A light cloth partially covers the upper body, while the rest remains exposed. This gesture creates a quiet sense of tension between vulnerability and ritual.
The whitewashed architecture reflects the traditional Cycladic style. Rounded forms and simple lines define the space. Strong sunlight casts sharp shadows across the ground. These contrasts highlight the geometry of the scene and give the image a clear visual rhythm. The gelatin silver print enhances these effects, adding depth and texture to the tonal range.
In the background, the landscape opens toward low hills and sparse vegetation. A larger bell and a cross appear further back, reinforcing the religious context. These elements connect the scene to the cultural identity of the Greek islands, where small chapels often mark places of devotion and memory.
The human figure introduces a contemporary perspective within this traditional setting. The lack of visible identity makes the subject feel universal. The body becomes a symbolic presence rather than a portrait of a specific person. This approach invites reflection on the relationship between the sacred space and the human condition.
The composition balances documentary clarity with a staged feeling. The scene appears real, yet carefully constructed. This duality places the work within a broader tradition of modern and conceptual photography. Similar approaches can be found in works that explore Mediterranean light, architecture, and the human form as interconnected themes.
YVES PARADIS
Yves Paradis was born in Brittany in 1955 into a family of farmers. He discovered photography during secondary school and from that moment on never stopped capturing his surroundings. After studying hospitality, he worked in the tourism sector before being hired by a weekly newspaper, where he was in charge of the photo lab—a role much more aligned with his passion. Gradually, he became a journalist and learned all aspects of the profession through what is known as local reporting.
At the same time, he continued to photograph for pleasure. He initially focused on the “deep France” of the 1970s and 1980s—village festivals, religious celebrations, Saturday night dances… At the turn of the 1980s, his interest shifted toward the world of boys.
Although close to the gay scene, Yves Paradis has always remained independent of trends, which gives his photographs a timeless quality.
From 1985 onwards, he worked regularly with the homosexual newspaper Gai Pied until its closure in 1992, as well as with numerous other publications, particularly in Italy and Germany. His work was noted for its singularity. His colleague Joseph Caprio described him as “the Robert Doisneau of boys.” Like Doisneau, he conveys deep empathy for his subjects, photographing them outside the studio, in natural light, without artifice, and most often in black and white. This gives his images a particularly authentic character.
“Yves Paradis’ photographs always tell a story… They are simple images, set in simple environments, often creating a sense of identification, like songs or landscapes that evoke memories…,” wrote Didier Lestrade—journalist and founder of Act Up France—in Gai Pied in 1986.
Yves Paradis stopped taking photographs in the early 1990s to focus on his career as a journalist, as photography did not provide him with a sufficient living. However, he carefully ensured the preservation of his archives. Upon retirement, and through various encounters, he resumed photography, still working in analog black and white.
A self-taught photographer, Yves Paradis has always printed his own photographs in his personal darkroom. “In order to master my images from A to Z…,” he explains, adding that analog photography has always been his preferred medium.
“For the past thirty years, digital technology has disrupted the world of photography and has even improved image quality. However, analog photography—with the unbearable uncertainty of the shot, whose quality only reveals itself during film development—requires a different approach: more focused, less casual. With digital, you can immediately retake a failed photo. Not with film. In the darkroom, the photographer can also refine the print by working with contrast, developer temperature, papers… Like Brassaï, I believe that the author’s print is what truly matters… even if the darkroom process involves a great deal of work…”
This highly artisanal approach defines Yves Paradis’ work. As a result, each of his prints presents subtle variations that distinguish it from the previous one, making each piece, in a way, unique.
No products in the cart.