Whether it be fashion, editorial or documentary street photography, Marlene has an eye for the absurd. Her pictures are undercut by humour, irreverence and the desire to mix seemingly incongruous styles and signifiers. She’s drawn to the fusion of “dreamy and punk aesthetics, or combining creepy elements with romance”. Her photographs of Paris display this instinct. The opulence of Paris and the grandeur of the Olympics is undercut – not disrespectfully – by the kitsch of tourist merchandise and other pop culture relics and symbols. “I’m drawn to capturing subcultures… people at goth music festivals or diehard fans of various music groups,” she says. “I also experience different fixations, from McDonald’s – ironically, despite not being a fan – to my current interest in historical costumes and folklore.”
From among her pictures of Paris, the one that stands out to her is the portrait of two friends watching the Olympic flame together. “The cauldron stands near the Louvre at the Jardin des Tuileries,” she recalls. “They were both really sweet and excited that I took their photo. In a city where not everyone welcomed being photographed, their openness was refreshing.”
Visit the gallery above for a closer look.
