Artistic Approach
Claude Gauthier conceives portrait photography as a form of silent dialogue, where emotion, light, and gaze intertwine to reveal an inner truth. Each shot becomes a suspended moment, an intimate exploration of human presence. His approach is based on a refined, almost minimalist aesthetic, which leaves full space for the subject’s expression. Far from artifice or complex staging, the artist favors simple settings, chiaroscuro, and natural light, often low or diffuse, that gently caresses features and sculpts volumes with restraint.
This intentional simplicity allows for a form of authenticity: the models are not posing, they are opening up. Through the lens, the artist captures fragments of soul, inhabited silences, gazes that speak louder than words. The composition, always meticulous, supports this unveiling with precision.
It situates each face within a space of its own, as if each portrait opened a parenthesis in time.
His work radiates a gentle, contemplative, almost meditative atmosphere. It’s not simply about photographing a face, but about revealing a presence, a vibration, sometimes a wound or a hope. Photography then becomes an act of recognition, a way of telling the other: “I see you.”
In a world saturated with images and distractions, Claude Gauthier invites us to slow down our gaze, to enter into resonance with a fragile and luminous humanity.
His work is part of a profoundly humanistic approach, where beauty lies not in perfection, but in the truthfulness of the bond established between the photographer and the subject.
Photographic style
Gauthier's style combines classical aesthetics with contemporary photographic precision. He frequently draws inspiration from Greco-Roman mythology, Renaissance ideals, and Baroque drama, which he transposes with a contemporary sensibility. His images are distinguished by:
A sculptural light, revealing the three-dimensionality of the human body.
A rigorous composition, evoking the balance and proportion of classical painting.
A symbolic staging, integrating objects, gestures or postures inspired by mythological archetypes and art history.
An emotional subtlety, where expressions oscillate between vulnerability and strength, presence and introspection.
Refined color palettes, sometimes soft and painterly, sometimes enhanced to reinforce the emotional impact.
His portraits go beyond mere faithful representation: they seek to reveal a presence, in the tension between inner life and appearance. At the intersection of timeless forms and current cultural narratives, Gauthier establishes himself as both the guardian of a tradition and the creator of contemporary visual mythologies.
About the Artist
A Montreal-based photographer, Claude Gauthier is the director and founder of the Solstice Image studio, which he has led since 1995. His artistic journey is marked by a sensitive approach to portraiture and a constant commitment to contemporary visual creation.
In 2004, he presented his first international solo exhibition in Shanghai, entitled Face, Body and Soul, marking the beginning of recognition abroad. This period was also marked by the publication of his works in several Chinese art magazines, as well as a series of conferences and meetings with the local artistic community. In 2006, he published the book Face, Body and Soul with Stromboli Editions (ISBN 2-921800-19-5), which reflects this immersive experience.
Back in Montréal, Claude Gauthier continued his photographic exploration of identity, the body, and the symbolism of the mask. In 2011, he presented the exhibition Les porteurs de masques at Centaur Theatre, in collaboration with the Afro-Canadian Museum. This series was also shown in 2012 in the main hall of Montreal City Hall as part of Black History Month.
In 2015, he explored representations of masculinity in the solo exhibition Portraits masculins, created in collaboration with La Voix magazine. Two years later, in 2017, he founded the group Créativité en Photographie, becoming its main speaker, sharing his thoughts on the artistic process, inspiration, and visual expression.
Still active on the international scene, he presented in 2022 the exhibition Made in Clay at Art Expo New York, where he explored the materiality of the body in a series inspired by sculpture. In 2023, he launched two new photographic collections: Danse imaginaire and Résonnance rythmique, continuing his visual dialogue between movement, texture, and interiority.
Works
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