Renée Revah
— Photographer
Born in 1978 in Athens, Greece.
Lives in South Attica. Renee studied to be an actress and at the same time attended stage lighting and drawing lessons that ultimately guided her to photography. Her admiration for theater has influenced her approach to photography every step of the way. As a result, she tends to direct images and to perceive the world around us as part of a performance on stage.
Recently she started free diving underwater photography and it quickly turned into a passion. The photographic work under the sea represents an impermeable bond. The relation between light and shadow. The pareidolia effect that the sea bed creates. The way the image penetrates the subconscious.
“From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free”. Jacques Yves Cousteau
For underwater photography lovers, this sense of freedom is not created autonomously or automatically, but is conquered over time by managing the successive challenges that arise underwater.
Renee’s photography career spans over 20 years, but currently her photographic steps have led her to the aquatic environment that is familiar and beloved. She conveys a feeling of absolute peace, of being part of the uniquely undisturbed world of the seabed. Through her eyes, we are guided below the surface of the lake and urged to get to know a different world, through ethereal figures that turn into water creatures, as the world outside the liquid element temporarily ceases to exist.
The audience is invited to experience the aquatic world created by Renee, becoming conduits of the magical feeling brought by the absence of gravity and absolute freedom of movement; symbolized by the image of the undulating, silent and frighteningly dark water, and obeying no rules except for the spontaneity of emotions and the need of every person to express their innate creativity.
These austere photographs, excerpts from a marine universe, invite the audience to have a poetic reading and attitude. Even if the viewer has not lived the experience of the photographer or the person being photographed in these peculiar environments, they will be able to feel what Gaston Bachelard argues in Water and Dreams: “Possibly more than any other element, water is the complete poetic reality through which we enjoy, among other things, an intimate taste of our destiny”.
Nina Kassianou
EDUCATION
2017 Photography Seminar “Dreams” with Platon Rivellis.
2011 Masterclass with photojournalist Simon Norfolk.
2010 Seminar of Creative Photography with Platon Rivellis at the Benaki Museum.
2009/11 Photography Seminar with Platon Rivellis.
Focus School of Photography.
1997/99 Acting studies at the Contemporary Theater of Athens with George Kimoulis.
SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 Solo Photography exhibition – Video projection – Installation at DL Gallery, Athens.
2019 Solo photography exhibition – Installation “Tehom – Abyss”, at 48th Olympus Festival.
2019 Group photography exhibition “The Sea”, at The Bomb Shelter of Adamas, Milos island.
2019 Group photography exhibition “The Sea”, at Antiparos International Photo Festival.
2019 Solo photography exhibition “Silence – A breath of consciousness”, curated by Alex Papaioannou at Booze Cooperativa art space, Athens.
2018 Group photography exhibition “Small Sections” at Sparta, Greece.
2018 Group photography exhibition “Synopsis” at Anti Art Gallery, Kastro – Antiparos.
2018 Group photography exhibition at Antiparos International Photo Festival.
2018 Solo underwater photography exhibition “Ocean of Dreams” at iFocus Gallery, Athens.
2018 Group photography exhibition “Personal Perspective” at Darkroom Gallery, New York.
2018 Group photography exhibition (“Placebo” underwater project) at Technopolis city of Athens, organised by Photographos Magazine.
2018 Group photography exhibition “Underwater” by Loosen Art at Millepiani Art Space, Rome.
2018 Group photography exhibition “Small Pieces in Time” at Sparta, Greece.
2017 Group photography exhibition at the 1st Photosphere international open air photography festival at Patmos Island.
2017 Group photography exhibition “FOUND & LOST” at Float art gallery in collaboration with Void, Athens.
2017 Group photography exhibition “Glances” at the Image Gallery, Athens.
2017 Solo underwater photography exhibition “Plaseabo” at Placebo Pharmacy, Athens.
2017 Group photography exhibition “Seven” at Vault Theater Plus, Athens.
2015 Group photography exhibition “My summer” at the Image Gallery, Athens.
2012 Solo photography exhibition “Vacant time” at Booze Cooperativa art space, Athens.
PRINTED WORK – THEATRICAL BROCHURES
2021 Photobook with Underwater Photography – 200 copies
2018 Cover photograph for Christer Knutsen and Marie Munroe single “Fall to pieces”.
2017 Cover photograph and inlays for Sivert Høyem’s live album and concert film “Live at Acropolis – Herod Atticus Odeon, Athens” and cover of “Give it a whirl” single.
2012 Theatrical play “Routes”, produced by Exaformis Dance Theater at Theater Alumni.
2011 Published photographs in the book “You say I’m life” by Anemos publishing house.
2010 Theatrical play “Amadeus” by Peter Shafer at Vretania Theater.
2009/10 Theatrical play “The Fall” – based on Albert Camu’s The Fall, produced by Blind Spot at Bios – Athens center for today’s art and cross media.
2009 Theatrical Play “Para Amoris” at Theseum Theater.
2009 Theatrical Play “Fatigue”, produced by Mag Company at Bios – Athens center for today’s art and cross media.
1999/01 Travel Photography for Elle, Gaiorama and Geotropio magazines.
ART FAIRS AND AWARDS
2018 The artworks “Still Floating” and “Soul Diving” are shown at the ARTBOX.PROJECT New York 1.0 during the Armoury Art Weeks.
2017 HPS Honorary Diploma in the Open Colour Category for the photograph “Nostalgia” at the 1st International Printed Photo Exhibition Circuit.
2017 The artwork “White Urchin” is shown at the Basel artweeks.
2017 Gold awards both in Music and Underwater categories at Mifa – Moscow International Fotography Awards.
