Follow my river

Concept

This photographic series, *Follow My River*, set around the old stone bridge at the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay, creates a poetic dialogue between human history, nature, and time. The abbey, with its centuries-old Cistercian roots, stands as a monument to human devotion and craftsmanship, while the ancient bridge, still standing, embodies the enduring yet fragile mark humanity leaves on the landscape.

The red threads intricately woven around the stones, wood, and water symbolize the delicate ties between past and present, suggesting how history remains intertwined with nature. The bridge once served as a functional connection, but here it becomes a metaphor for the invisible bonds across time—human presence, memory, and the unstoppable passage of time symbolized by the flowing water beneath.

As water flows and reshapes the environment, it reflects the transformation of the abbey itself—from a sacred monastic retreat to a historical monument reclaimed by nature. The red threads, vibrant against the organic elements, echo both the persistence and vulnerability of human legacy, slowly being absorbed into the larger natural cycle.

This series offers a meditation on the coexistence of history and nature, reminding viewers of the impermanence of human efforts and the eternal forces of the natural world that persist long after human hands have passed. Through this artistic vision, the abbey’s past is not only remembered but reconnected to the present, flowing like the river through time.