Biography of Éric Petr | Photographer & Author Passionate About Japan
Welcome to my world. I am Éric Petr, a photographer, visual artist, living in Marseille, and author exploring the boundaries between Japanese culture, light (as matter and energy), and writing. My journey has been shaped by travel, encounters, and a deep passion for places rich in history and resonance.

Since the beginning of my career, I have been fascinated by the way light (both as matter and energy) influences places, traditions, and symbols, and how it shapes our perception. My approach blends documentary-style art photography, poetic writing, and immersion in unique worlds, particularly that of Japan, a culture whose customs, traditions, and memory deeply fascinate me.
For over 40 years, my artistic work has sought to make the invisible visible: the traces of time, the energy of a place, the echo of a presence. I speak about this evolution of my projects in this blog post, where I talk about my photographic works as well as personal stories that have shaped my journey.
Biography
I was born in Provence, and I have been lived for many years in Marseille, that I love.
Very young, my photographs, variations of light and matter, speak of our relationship to the universe.
My aesthetic choices were first oriented towards minimalist compositions and monochrome prints.
However, the advent of digital in the early 1990s marked for me a moment of questioning and questioning.
A break with photography was necessary and it gave me time to reconsider my relationship to the image and the camera.
In 2003, the desire to create photographs again to capture the timeless suddenly imposed itself on me.
Since 2013, I have been expressing myself as a visual artist and it was from the year 2016 that my efforts began to be rewarded with exhibitions and the production of an author’s book published by Corridor Éléphant.
Today, I work on this reflection on light with a very contemporary writing of the image.
I am open to any artistic project, exhibition or for any personalized order.
All my works are for sale, in limited edition, and I invite you to visit
my Art Shop page.

Exhibitions, Meetings and Jobs
・Admission to the CNFAP Board of Directors in June 2024
The CNFAP [French National Council of Plastic Arts] is an organization dating from 1956 which stems from the creation of the IAA-AIAP, an NGO affiliated with UNESCO since 1952.
2025
・Fuzhou (China) [G-Lake Art Gallery 桂湖美术馆] & Réalités Nouvelles Jan > Feb (groupe)
・Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) [Espaço Cultural Correios Niterói] & ]RN structure[ 5.07 > 16.08 (group)
2024
・Paris [Abstract Projet Gallery] “Abstract Propositions” January (groupe)
・Shenyang (China) [Galerie 1905] & Réalités Nouvelles Sept > Nov (groupe)
・Valencia (Spain) [Casa de la Cultura] CIAE of the UPV & CNFAP Nov > Dec (group)
2023
・Paris Town Hall 8th | CNFAP [Thema : Forêts] March 13~25 (group)
・Arles CNFAP & La Grande Vitrine [Rencontre Art & Philo] March 28 (solo)
・Kyōto [RN Hors les Murs] April 26~30 (group)
・Paris Ville A des Arts | CNFAP [Thema : Murmur] October 3~15 (group)
2022
・Virtual exhibition in 3D [DF Art Project] March / April (group)
・Poitiers [LE BLOC] DF Art Project, May (group)
・Paris [Destrucuralisme Figuratif] Pavillon of Parc Floral, October (group)
・Paris [“New Realities” Exhibition 2022] October (group)
2021
・Marseille [Hôtel Le Corbusier] May to September (solo)
・Paris [Galerie Le Génie de la Bastille] DF Art Project, June (group)
・Paris [Festival Éléphant in the Room] Corridor Elephant, TK21
& Vanda Spengler, September (group)
・Paris [Galerie Mémoire de l’Avenir] DF Art Project, September (group)
・Paris [Abstract Projet Gallery] July (group)
・Paris Convent of the Cordeliers [Réalités Nouvelles 2021] October (group)
2020
・Paris [Abstract Projet Gallery] July (group)
・Member of the Jury | Selection of NIEPCEBOOK #14
2019
・[Fontaine Obscure] Presentation of my work, January (solo)
・Cassis (13) [5th Photographic Art Meetings] February (group)
・Florence [Galleria Merlino Bottega d’Arte] March (group)
・London [Royal Opera Arcade Gallery] April (group)
・Arles [Festival Voies Off 2019] La Grande Vitrine Gallery (group)
・Eyguières (13) [Parc des Frères Recordier] August (Nomade Collective)
・Shenyang (China) [Galerie 1905] & Réalités Nouvelles July to October (group)
・Shenyang (China) [Académie des Beaux Arts] & Réalités Nouvelles September (group)
・Paris [73rd “New Realities” Exhibition] October (group)
・Tokyo [Ringoya Gallery] November (duet)
・Member of the Jury | Selection of NIEPCEBOOK #11
2018
・Eyguières (13) [Galerie Agora] January (group)
・[Rendez-vous aux Jardins] National event, June (group)
・Marseilles [Espace 3013] with CPM October (group)
・Paris [72rd “New Realities” Exhibition] October (group)
・Tokyo [AS Antiques Gallery] November (trio)
・Marseilles [Espace GT Art Contemporain] December (group)
2017
・Marseille [Aéroport Hall4] March (solo)
・Paris [Abstract Projet Gallery] April (group)
・Bernin, Château de La Veyrie with ]RN structure[ May to September (group)
・Carry (13) [3rd Photographic Art Exhibition] October (group)
・Paris [71rd “New Realities” Exhibition] October (group)
・Tokyo [Ringoya Gallery] November (duet)
・Marseille [Espace GT Art Contemporain] December (group)
2016
・Paris [70rd “New Realities” Exhibition] October (group)
Articles, Editions and Interviews
February 2024・Presentation of my artwork | SMARIS ELAPHUS Review No. 01
Décembre 2022 > Article “Et la lumière fut !” by Alison Moss in the LE QUOTIDIEN DE L’ART Magazine
May 2021 > Analysis text on my photographic story “NUIT RADIEUSE” in the Contemporary Art Review CANOLINE CRITIKS
May 2019 > Publication on my photographic story AMOUR in the art magazine TK-21
April 2019 > Article in ART EXPERTISE magazine
January 2019 > Dreamlike portrait by the writer PATRICK LOWIE published by PAT editions
September 2018 > Minute portrait by Alceste Louleux in the Contemporary Photography Review CORRIDOR ÉLÉPHANT
March 2018 > Analytical text on my photographic story AMOUR in the Contemporary Art Review CANOLINE CRITIKS
February 2018 > Interview by Pierre Léotard in the photographic magazine 9 LIVES
January 2018 > Photographic analysis in the Italian magazine SCRIPTPHOTOGRAPHY by Giuseppe Cicozzetti
April 2017 > Interview in THE EYE OF PHOTOGRAPHY
February 2017 > Publication of the photographic book “SPIRITUALS ODYSSEY” in limited edition at CORRIDOR ÉLÉPHANT
November 2016 > Interview in LELITTERAIRE.com with art critic Jean-Paul Gavard-Perret