Artist Statement

I photograph because I seek to understand.

My artistic work begins with curiosity. I photograph what catches my eye — and, more importantly, what tickles my brain. For me, a photograph is not the goal but the by-product of an investigation. Observing, framing, composing, and reducing are ways of thinking. They help me navigate complexity, process what I do not understand (yet) and reveal what is essential. I don’t pursue beauty. I pursue understanding. If beauty emerges, it is because reduction has most probably brought clarity to what matters.

My background in scientific photography has significantly shaped the way I approach photography. It has given me a unique field in which I can explore the medium, and how it is used as a tool in science, and it helps me determine its limitations. Through this perspective, I challenge the way we still often understand photography as an objective representation of reality. Needless to say, just like every type of image, a photograph is shaped by countless choices and circumstances.

My photographs invite viewers to slow down, look closely and hopefully experience a shift in perspective. I hope they encourage a more attentive way of seeing, one that broadens our understanding, allows challenging subjects to become approachable through curiosity rather than avoidance, and reminds us that every photograph is not only an interpretation of the world but also a way of making sense of it.

Michelle Aimée, July 2026