Bio of Benoit Malphettes
Reaching his sixties, the non-essentials gently fell away and inspired the French-American photographer to leave the fashion and editorial part of his photography to return to his childhood dream of taking pictures without constraint. This circular homecoming was inevitable as he moved to a more contemplative environment near the California desert. At a time when most of us aspire to spend our life in leisure, Benoit saw it as an opportunity for transformation to enter a period of increased conceptual creativity with a personal studio in his new home. Benoit now uses a technical view camera, the digital-age version of the large format that allows him to retain the magical art of his film days. It also allows him to enjoy the skills accumulated during his four decades of work.
Benoit’s photography is represented in the permanent collections of public institutions, several museums, and numerous private collections across the US and Europe. Since 2015, his work was featured in three solo museum exhibitions and was part of the “Facing Fire” group exhibit at the California Museum of Photography. In 2016 Benoit received an Assembly Resolution from the State of California in recognition of his long history of creative practice and the California Journalism Award for his portrait of Dr. Sterling Stuckey. In 2018, his work was included in New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) exhibit “Is Fashion Modern”.
His latest work "Open to Interpretation," is a series of introspective still life exhibited at the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands from August 25 - January 8, 2023.
If you would like to purchase any of my prints, please contact me at info@benoit.la
Bio of Benoit Malphettes