Atelier Des Artistes Metiers Opera

Description

An opera is made up of singers, an orchestra, a conductor, a choir and a director. But the success of a show also presupposes the presence of many other participants, whose work is most often done behind the scenes. To give an account of this, a free hand was given to Heinz Peter Knes, a young Berlin photographer, to ask him to look at the crafts of the Paris Opera. From tailoring to make-up, from tapestry to scenic genius ... a dive into the mysteries of these workshops, to discover the unique skills of the artisans of the institution, which creates all its sets and costumes on site. Perruquier, make-up artist, painter, sculptor, ironworker... 180 art craftsmen, exercising 11 different trades, are thus employed at the Paris Opera and distributed over the three sites which are the Palais Garnier, the Opéra Bastille and the Berthier workshops . They work every day behind the scenes to create a most convincing "art of the fake".

The photograph
Heinz Peter Knes was born in 1969 in Germany. He lives and works in Berlin. Between 1993 and 1999, he studied photography at the University of Dortmund. His work is known through multiple publications in magazines (Spex, 032c, Dutch, Purple, Readymade, Freier, i-D, Art Review, Butt or Nylon), but also in many individual and group exhibitions. He is also co-founder of the photofanzine Strahlung and also collaborates regularly with the Bless brand.