Rémi de de Ligny

Rémi de Ligny (1977, Saint Martin d’Hères) grew up in Leiden and began his career as a graphic designer. However, he soon became disillusioned with working for clients and the inevitable compromises that came with it. He decided to change direction and started creating digital collages. His early works consist of hyper-surreal compositions of carefully manipulated photographs of objects, organisms, and figures, which he combines in the tradition of Hieronymus Bosch into visionary images that follow associative logic, akin to the logic of dreams. In 2013, De Ligny won the annual design competition at the Uitmarkt, and his work appeared on billboards across the Netherlands. After a successful exhibition in 2014, he was invited by the magazine HP/De Tijd to provide a monthly composition, resulting in a series where his magical-realist style collided with current affairs. In 2017, during the Through a Keyhole exhibition in Amsterdam, De Ligny began a new series inspired by an insect in a glass box. The Arthropods series combines the organic with the mechanical, as he reconstructs insect exoskeletons from tools and scrap, which he photographs himself. This series marks a significant shift in his work, where De Ligny no longer relies on stock photos but instead seeks out, captures, and incorporates objects into his art. Creating this art requires precision and patience, as dozens of photos are merged into detailed, organic forms, such as insect exoskeletons. His work shows evolution as a process of trial and error, with each object carefully reconstructed according to a fixed, yet flexible plan. Behind the refined detail of De Ligny's works lies a craft process consisting of five phases: Phase 1: The Shots De Ligny begins by photographing all objects from a constant, perpendicular angle. The larger the objects, the more photos are required to capture all the details. The lighting must remain consistent to ensure the photos can be seamlessly stitched together without visual discrepancies. Phase 2: Stitching In this phase, De Ligny stitches the various shots together so they form a seamless whole. This process creates a continuous, organic image that lays the foundation for the next steps. Phase 3: Stylesheet De Ligny creates an overview of all the photographed elements of the objects from different angles. This "stylesheet" provides him with the reference points he needs for the further construction of the exoskeletons. Phase 4: Construction Using the stylesheet as a guide, De Ligny constructs the segments of the insect exoskeletons. He replicates the process of evolution by using repetitive elements that remain consistent even as the size changes. Due to the high resolution of the photos, a small detail of an object can represent a large part of a segment. Phase 5: Fusion In the final phase, De Ligny merges the hundreds of layers that make up the various parts of the exoskeleton, such as legs, wings, and antennae. He then combines all the elements into one cohesive whole and breathes life into them, resulting in an organic yet mechanical-looking insect.