Mur Nomade presents a selection of works from Niko de La Faye’s Visages series. The collection series is a two-year long photographic project conducted between Paris and Shanghai. De La Faye is not a believer of the idea of model casting; instead, all models were volunteers that he has met in life personally. The shapes and colours on his artworks together with the existing landscapes of the human faces have resulted in a fascinating series, symbolizing encounters with people. At the exhibition, Niko de La Faye will interact with the visitors through an audio recording on iPod, amplifying the presence of the models as if they came to life through de La Faye’s photographs. Through the voice and words from the artist, one artwork following another, the stories behind each painted face become even stronger, creating a personal connection among the visitors, the artist and the models. Niko de la Faye’s Visages series offers a reflection on the role of the photographer plays in the exercise of portraiture. A portrait is the representation of the way the artist sees his or her model; with this representation painted directly on the face of the model, instead of being captured through the lens of the camera or depicted on a canvas, the photography comes in as the final layer in the sequence of representations. ARTIST'S STATEMENT ‘I didn’t need a canvas, and furthermore I was intrigued by the idea of adding shapes and colors to the existing landscape of the human face. I would also integrate living eyes within the canvas. This way I could give an interesting dimension to an image that would be a mix between painting and photography.’ VISAGES is a collateral event of the Hong Kong International Photo Festival 2014. https://www.facebook.com/HKIPF.HKPCA Related program Understanding Contemporary Photography: talk by Jacqueline Furniss 13 September 2014, 5pm, at Mur Nomade https://www.facebook.com/events/823434337677702/