Biography

Born in 1981 in Martigny, Olivier Lovey obtained a Master’s degree in psychology at the University of Fribourg (2006) before moving on to the field of photography. Between 2008 and 2009, he studied at the Ecole Cantonale d’Art du Valais (ECAV) then enrolled at the School of Applied Arts of Vevey (CEPV), where he obtained his diploma of advanced training in photography (2011). His work has been exhibited, among others, at the 2012 Photoforum Prize, 2014 Selection / Auswahl in Biel, at the 2013 Prix Voies-Off in Arles, at the 18th Young VFG Photography Award 2014 and at the Boutographies of Montpellier where he receives the Prix Réponses Photo 2015. He resided from July to December 2014 at the residency of the Swiss foundation of the international city of Paris. In 2018, he won first prize at the Swiss Photo Award in the Fine Arts category with his ‘Miroirs aux alouettes’ series.


Miroirs aux alouettes 2016–on going
In my ‘Miroirs aux alouettes’ series, initiated in 2016, I create impossible images by sticking pictures in the public or exhibition space. I revisit the notion of trompe l’oeil and mise en abime. The concept of immersive work is really important to me. So I use most of the time stickers of very large formats. By example, during exhibitions, I created works in which we could literally fit in. Thus my production performs as much as installation as photography.

Awards

– 2018, Prix d’encouragement de l’Etat du Valais, Sion, Suisse
– 2017, EWZ Swiss Photo Award Fine Art, Zürich, Suisse
– 2017, Prix MLL (Meyer-Lustenberger), Zürich, Suisse
– 2016, Prix de la fondation Engelberts, Lausanne, Suisse
– 2015, Coup de coeur Réponses Photo, Montpellier, France

Exhibitions

– 2018, Miroirs aux alouettes, Festival Images Vevey-Suisse
– 2018, Miroirs aux alouettes, EWZ Swiss Photo Award Zürich-Suisse
– 2016, Miroirs aux alouettes, Galerie abstrAct Lausanne-Suisse
– 2016, Heimweh, Galerie Focale Nyon-Suisse
– 2015, Puissance Foudre, Les Boutographies Montpellier-France

Publications

– Olivier Lovey, portfolio “Puissance Foudre”, Allemagne, Geo Magazine, 2017
– Olivier Lovey, Puissance Foudre, Villeneuve, Editions à l’Envers, 2016
– Olivier Lovey, Memorabilia, Berne, NEAR & Till Schaap Edition, 2015
– Olivier Lovey, portfolio Puissance Foudre, France, Réponses Photo, 2015
– Olivier Lovey, portfolio Puissance Foudre, San Francisco, Wired blog, 2014