Discovery of Atelier Relief

Farid Issa, founder of Atelier Relief, has launched the incredible challenge of creating an artistic space which exists in a new dimension halfway between sculpture and image. But the idea is not as entirely innovative as you may first believe, and, if you look carefully, you can even find the genesis of the notion by examining the Pantheon frieze.

Over the last decade, the artist Farid Issa has managed to simultaneously evolve sculpture and photography in a project which is as creative as it is ambitious. The bold adventure began in Boston when he discovered he had a strong impulse and inclination to interpret an image. His method involved first cutting up an image before then recomposing it with the help of a series of pegs.

This approach, which was unique to say the least, allowed him to create a more consistent image with considerably greater depth and thus ultimately a more satisfying form. Even if in itself the initial idea was not particularly awe-inspiring, the results were certainly successful!

Farid Issa’s success was such that, even after several years had elapsed, those who studied this new artistic concept carefully were able to revisit and perfect their methods, and thus capture a pictorial sculpture in a considerably more enhanced form. This achievement did not go unnoticed by photographers, who soon began to take a closer interest in this aspect of the art of Farid Issa.

Since its 2015 launch in Brussels, Atelier Relief has managed to expand its activity by bringing together a team which includes several designers, photographers and architects. They have each brought their own artistic vision which has been dedicated to the shaping of 3D works. Thanks to the sheer diversity of this combination of artistic perspectives, the resultant images have acquired considerably greater depth and structure.

And it is the photographic aspects of this collaboration which have actually created the flow and rhythm which supports the realisation of such structuring. And as a result, Atelier Relief has been able to meet the spectacular challenge of developing a new language in which the ‘movement’ itself conveys a message that is eminently meaningful. We can certainly conclude we have witnessed the birth of the 3D photo!

It goes without saying that once they had perfected and put the foundations of this discipline firmly in place, Atelier Relief began a spectacular rise, producing more than 200 pieces of art in the space of just 3 years. Throughout this great artistic endeavour, photographers have assisted in the process of creation, design and production. These talented participants include:

• The Austrian fine art and portrait photographer David Uzochukwu
• French photographer Sophie Bramly
• Lebanese photographer Serge Najjar
• Belgian photographer Karel Fonteyne

Whatever the artistic path originally chosen – whether portraiture, fashion, photo-journalism or architecture – the sculpture form was reinvented via the image using various raw materials such as plastic, wood or metal. Subsequently reproduced using new media giving it a unique reach, the transformed image makes a much more vivid statement in terms of its colour, perspective and brightness.

Atelier Relief has established itself as a global benchmark in the new world of sculpted images. It is now unanimously regarded as an ultra-creative space where each image is interpreted from different perspectives. A space totally dedicated to the great contemporary photographers. A space where the image is a truly infinite concept!