The Berlin-based Canadian photographer plays with surrealism, the unexpected and sensuality in her portraits and fashion images
to reveal the extraordinary in everyday life.
Capturing the beauty in life's commonplace is Sarah Blais' credo. This virtuoso, originally from British Columbia, has been
passionate about photography from an early age. She was quick to use her own silhouette in self-portraits in front of the mirror,
exploring the world through the lens.
" I've always been interested in art and photography, the creation of visual worlds ," she explains, adding, " I remember going
to old bookstores, looking at all the Playboys and Hustlers as well as architecture magazines and the old
editions of Aperture. I'd sit in the photography aisle with a stack of books and flip through them for hours. Diane Arbus really blew me away. "
Today, the woman who grew up in Toronto and lived in London working as an art director, then in Berlin as
photographer, and then in Paris for two years before returning to the German capital after the Covid-19 epidemic, is flourishing on the
photography scene.
THE ESSENCE IN EVERYTHING
His portfolio is thus copiously nourished by editorial commissions, collaborations with brands, group exhibitions, publications and mentions in several books. "It' s fascinating to explore the different worlds in which designers or brands evolve, and to express them through the choices we make. It's always a journey to find that balance at the crossroads of fashion and feeling that an image can evoke. "
What drives him is the concept of uncanny valley. This way of deconstructing reality to capture the essence of what's hidden in everything, creating a new sensation and subtle tension in his portraits and fashion photos.
BEYOND THE IMAGE
Whether it's stockings sliding down thighs, spun tights playing with the flounces of a dress, a statue-like nude body from the back or a blurred silhouette behind glass, her visual narratives set the imagination free, as well as the models she photographs.
His creative process thus always lies in the beauty of the ordinary, subtly handling surrealism, sensuality, humor and the unexpected. " Feelings arise when I capture a texture, an expression, a combination of colors or symbols. It's like a response to my instinct. I pay attention to it, because it comes from a deeper place than the superficial mind. "
Sarah Blais continues to open up to other worlds. In particular, she is preparing a documentary report on her Haudenosaunee (North American First Nations) roots, focusing more specifically on her mother's profession as an aboriginal midwife.
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