Bérangère Fromont

Bérangère Fromont is a French photographer based in Paris.

– Home and studio — together or apart?

Together and separate at the same time. I have a studio at Poush Aubervilliers, a complex of studios with over 300 artists. It’s like a real village.
But I work better at home when I need to focus. And above all, I work non-stop and late into the night, which I can do easily at home. At Poush, I tend to get distracted, stopping to chat with other artists. That said, the space does allow me to test installations or exhibitions, and the collective energy is inspiring.
I got my first studio after the long lockdown—it was essential for my mental health at that time. Today, I’m eagerly waiting to be granted a live-work studio so I can finally give up my paid job. Paris is an expensive city, and for now, I rent both an apartment and a studio.

– Do you have any daily rituals?

I’m lucky to live near the Buttes-Chaumont Park. I try to walk there every day to get myself in the right mindset for work. I’m addicted to the sun, so whenever it’s out, I make sure to enjoy it, even if it’s just for a short while.

– What is the first art book you remember?

I  don’t really remember. There were definitely catalogues of Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, and Pablo Picasso because my mother is Spanish. But I do remember the first photography book I ever bought: The Americans by Robert Frank. I was passionate about American photography when I was a student.

– What is your studio/creative soundtrack?

I listen to music when I need to focus—whether it’s for editing, designing an exhibition, or working on a book layout.
I have trouble concentrating, so I need to reach a very specific state, almost like a trance. To get there, I loop tracks (with headphones, to spare my neighbours) for hours—lots of Schubert, some Baroque music, and even noise music, like this group called France, whose pieces last 20 minutes each. The tracks themselves are continuous loops. It’s like a ritual that puts me in a creative state.

– What is the favourite thing you have in your studio?

My library. It’s right in front of the desk where I work at home. Looking at the photography books I’ve collected reminds me why I do what I do—especially on days when the sacrifices of being an artist feel a little too heavy.

– Did you always want to be an artist?

Since I was a teenager. I wanted to be a writer, then a screenwriter, then a filmmaker. And finally, when I realized that photographers are also artists, not just technicians, it became obvious. Being an artist was my goal. For the freedom. For the sideways step. To give meaning to my life. Unfortunately, I still have to do paid work today because the artist’s life is too precarious. I’m eagerly waiting for a status similar to what Belgian or Irish artists have.

– What does a free day look like?

A day off would be a day when I don’t feel guilty for not working on my project. If the sun is out and I’m not out with my Mamiya at Place de la République, I think about it constantly and feel bad. I tell myself I’m missing the photograph. It would be reading a novel without worrying that I should really be reading an essay connected to my project.

Books & Objects

• République