“California Dreamin'” Photo Gallery Open at Carte Blanche SF
Author:Dara KerrIt’s hard to imagine a Frenchman being able to capture the true feel of California but photographer Guillaume Grasset has pulled off this feat. In a new solo show called “California Dreamin’” at San Francisco’s Gallery Carte Blanche, Grasset’s photos show the diversity, beauty, and intrigue of our big state. “As a Frenchman the name ‘California’ is synonymous with creativity,” Grasset said. “It is a land of inspiration for me and many others before me.”
Grasset’s photos range from images of barren windswept landscapes in the Salton Sea to bikini-clad beach-goers enjoying the sun in Laguna. His bright, clear photos taken with a medium format camera use unique lighting and compelling angles and compositions. Grasset said that this work is inspired by his long attraction to California’s culture of music, movies, and writers.
Grasset is no stranger to the photography community. At the age of 20 he took off from Paris and headed to California. Before embarking on his own solo career, he worked for several years assisting many famous photographers, such as Herb Ritts, David LaChapelle, Peter Lindbergh, and Steven Klein. He has since become a commercial photographer in Paris, while also working on personal projects like “California Dreamin’.”
One of Grasset’s goals in this newest body of work is to explore how humans interact with the natural landscape—building it up, then leaving it to isolation.
“I am making my own statement about the reality of this world with a hint of poetry, showing that men are capable of doing good and bad ideas,” Grasset said when explaining his work. “I explore the world I live in to reveal the reality of modern society—from deserted playgrounds to vibrant megalopolis—to show places left to nature and mankind.”
“California Dreamin’” will run through November 28. Carte Blanche, 973 Valencia St., San Francisco
