LIONEL BAYOL-THÉMINES
Born in 1968 in Castelsarrasin in France, Lionel Bayol-Thémines lives and works in Paris. Originally trained as a scientist, he graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie (ENSP) in Arles. He is currently an artist-in-residence at the Fondation Nationale des Artistes in Nogent-sur-Marne, and teaches photography at ESADHaR in Rouen.
His practice lies at the intersection of experimental photography, visual research, and sculptural installation. Through screenshot-based captures, reappropriation of scientific imagery, big data exploration, algorithmic processing and artificial intelligence, Bayol-Thémines questions thetransformations of photography in the digital age and explores the systems that produce and disseminate images.
Influenced by the writings of Vilém Flusser and the artistic experiments of Joan Fontcuberta, his work investigates photography’s ability to represent — or fabricate — reality.
Between 2012 and 2022, his research focused on new modes of landscape construction, using tools such as Google Earth to create hybrid images that blur the boundaries between photography, sculpture, and conceptual art.
Since 2022, he has shifted his focus to neural networks and the visual hallucinations generated by AI. His ongoing projects explore the limits and biases of machine vision through research platforms such as War.AI, AI Generated (another story of experimental photographs with machines), Playing with John Baldessari and machines, and Beyond the Code. In this body of work, photography becomes a conceptual, plastic and critical tool for exploring contemporary image-making.
Selected highlights include:
– Flux Scape (2018), part of the national commission “Flux, une société en mouvement” (Ministry of Culture, CNAP);
– After Nadar (2019), produced as part of the Mission Photographique du Grand Est;
– Low Space Oddity (2019–2021), developed during a residency at the University of Strasbourg in collaboration with the Centre de Documentation Spatiale (CDS).
His work has been exhibited widely in European galleries and institutions, and is held in several public and private collections. Bayol-Thémines is currently continuing his research at the Fondation Nationale des Artistes,notably through the projects Beyond the Code and Phenomena.
SELECTED ARTWORKS
PUBLICATIONS
SOLO SHOWS
2022 “Mission photographique du Grand Est“ Projet “After Nadar,“ The automated image, a new means of documentation and analysis of the territory?, L’arsenal, Metz, France
2022 Supplémentary Elements, CNRS Research Residency, CDS, Projet Low Space oddity, SUAC, Strasbourg, France
2021 “Mission photographique du Grand Est“ Projet “After Nadar,“ The automated image, a new means of documentation and analysis of the territory?, Festival Urbi & Orbi, Sedan, France
2020 “Flux une société en mouvement”,Ministry of Culture, CNAP, project “Flux Scape“, Photaumnales Beauvais, France
2019 “Google as a medium“ Korea International Photo Festival, Seoul, South Korea
2019 “Google as a medium“, galerie ESADHaR, Le Havre, France
2018 “High Land“ Edition Enigmatiques, le Studiolo Gallery de France, Paris
2017 Artotheque, Contemporary Art Space of Caen, France
2016 Photo18 Festivals Brussels, Belgium
2015 St Etienne International Design Biennale, France
2012 Paris Photo, Saint-Germain-des-Près, Gallery Maia Muller, Paris, France
2009 Le Cube, Art 3OOO, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
2009 PPP (Parcours parisien de la Photographie), Gallery 1900-2000, France
2008 Biennale internationale de la photographie, Timisoara, Romania
2005 National Foundation for Graphic and Plastic Arts (FNAGP), Hotel Salomon de Rotschild, Paris, France
2004 Art Paris, solo show, Carrousel du Louvre, Gallery Christian Croset, Paris, France
2003 Gallery Past Ray, Yokohama, Japon
2002 Museum ATHA, Vitoria, Espagne
2002 Gallery H2O, (Primavera Fotográfica), Barcelona, Espagne
2000 Gallery 1900-2000, Paris, France
2000 Gallery H2O, Biennale de Barcelone (Primavera), Espagne
1999 Gallery Issis, Kyoto, Japon
1999Gallery Hokari, Tokyo, Japon
1998 Photo Espana 98, Gallery Buades, Madrid, Spain 1996 Gallery XS, Bâle, Switzerland
1995 International Biennial of Photography, Turin, Italy
GROUP SHOWS
2024 “What if it was all just a mirage?”, Bigaignon, Paris, France
2024 Extended Approche Commissariat Dominique Moulon, Emilia Guenuardi, Paris, France
2024 (UN) REAL, Commissariat Dominique Moulon, Janine Sarbu, Santiago Torres, Paris, France
2024 “Réactivations”, Danae.Io, Paris, France
2023 “La photographie à l’épreuve de la matière”, BnF, Paris, France
2023 Paris Photo, Bigaignon, Paris, France
2023 Marais DigitArt, Bigaignon, Paris, France
2022 “Reinventar las orillas”,Museum of Water, Medelin, Colombia
2022 “Radical Perspectives”, Bigaignon, Paris, France
2021 “Des mondes Possibles“, Mérignac, France
2020 “La photographie à l’épreuve de l’abstraction”, Frac Rouen Normandie, France
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2019 Ambassade de France, Institut Francais d’Amérique Latine, Mexico, Mexique
2019 Musée d’Art Contemporain de Querétaro, Mexique
2018 Simulacrum 2, Fries Muséum, Leeuwarden, Hollande
2018 The nature of the nature, Noordelicht international photo festival, Hollande
2018 La synchronicité des éléments CACN, Nîmes, France
2018 Digi poésie, galerie Under construction, Paris, France
2017 “Paysages Français”, BNF, Paris, France
2017 “Le sport est un art”, CAC Meymac, France
2016 Land Form Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, USA
2013 Auer Ory Foundation for Photography, centre d’art contemporain, BAC, Genève, Suisse
2013 “Aquavitalis”, Arthothèque de Caen, France
2012 “Mouvances”, Foundation M+M Auer, CAC Genève, Suisse
2009 Collection Foundation M+M Auer, Modern Art Museum, Sao Paolo, Brésil
2009 Slovakian National Gallery, Slovaquie
2008 “In fashion”, Art Basel Miami, USA
2007 Art Cologne (Palma de Mayorca), Collection M+M Aeur Espagne
2006 Collection M+M Auer, Maison Bernard Anthonioz (FNAGP)
2004 Maison Rouge (Antoine de Galbert Foundation), Collection M Fleiss), Paris, France
2003 Ruan Redon Collection, Fondation Colectania, Barcelone, Espagne
2003 Art Basel, Galerie 1900-2000, Basel, Suisse
2001 “Fragments”, collection Raffael Tous, Musée de l’université d’Alicante, Espagne
2001 Galerie Carmen de la Guerra, Madrid, Espagne
1999 Collection Marcel Fleiss, Institut de la culture de Barcelone, Espagne
FIAC, Galerie 1900-2000, Paris, France
1996 Biennale internationale de photographie, Tarazona, Espagne
DISTINCTIONS
2020 Short listed order Public Tisséo Metro de Toulouse 3rd line station Ecole Polytechnique
2019 Winner of public procurement “Mission photographique du Grand Est“
2018 Winner of public procurement “Flux une société en mouvement“Ministère de la Culture, CNAP
2005 New Museum Research Grant Mac/val Vitry on Seine
2004 Residency for the National Foundation of Graphic and Plastic Arts Paris
2000 Recipient of individual creative assistance (Ministry of Culture)
1995 Recipient of individual creative assistance (Ministry of Culture)
COLLECTIONS
CNAP, France
Frac Normandie, France
BnF, Paris, France
Région Grand Est, France
Arent Collection, Luxembourg
National Foundation of Artists, France
MEP, France
Fond Raphael Tous – MACBA Museu d’Art contemporani, Espagne
Fondation Auer Ory, Suisse
Collection Ruan Redon – Fondation Colectania, Espagne
Museum ATHA Vitoria, Espagne
Museum ken Damy, Italie
Collection the city of Lyon, France
Artotheque of Caen, France
Artotheque of Nantes, France