Marc Lathuillière’s exhibition entitled “France Face Lost” deals with French identity. It is the questioning of a visual artist looking at his homeland as if it wasn’t. As if he was a tourist from fast moving Asia discovering the clichés and strangeness of a sleeping beauty named France.

Marc Lathuillière first experienced this swing in perception in 2004, after extended stays in Asia, mostly in Thailand and South Korea. Coming back home, he realized how deeply French identity is anchored in the past, and the tremendous efforts French people devote to the preservation of its heritage. Through his "Asianized" eyes, France now seemed estranged: he started to observe it with both wonder and worry.

To express these mixed feelings, he asked the French he met all over the country to wear a mask, always the same one, and then he took a portrait of them. An interactive game that froze them, shedding a new and doubtful light on their daily surroundings, questioning the stereotypes on which we build our identities.

In five years, from Provence to Normandy, and from Bordeaux to Metz, more than four hundred people have already let him take their “de-faced” portrait.

Marc Lathuillière held a workshop at Silverlens Gallery on January 30 and February 6, followed by an artist’s talk, to introduce his work and artistic approach. For more information about the results of the workshop and the artist’s talk, please contact Silverlens Gallery at 816 0044 or email Leonore Casuga at manage@silverlensphoto.com.

For high resolution images of the artworks and more details about the exhibit, kindly contact Mr. Stéphane Doutrelant (AFM Director) or Ms. Sabrina Durand (Cultural Officer) at 895 7441 / 895 7585 or email sabrina@alliance.ph. You may also visit the AFM website at www.alliance.ph or the artist’s site at www.lathuilliere.com.

This exhibition was organized with the support of the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Silverlens Gallery.

Silverlens Gallery is located at 2320 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm. For further information, please contact Cathy Paras-Lara at 816 0044 or communications@silverlensphoto.com, or visit www.silverlensphoto.com.

L’exposition France Face Perdue a été organisée avec la participation de Sommelier Selection - http://www.sommelierselection.info

The exhibition France Face Lost was organized with the participation of Sommelier Selection - http://www.sommelierselection.info