At La Maison Sur La Sorgue, the Sculptures Natures exhibition, curated by Retour De Voyage, ran from 13/06/2024 to 18/08/2024. This exhibition brought together Hans Silvester, showcasing his photographs of the wild nature of the Camargue, and Marc Nucera, a wood sculptor who gives tree trunks a second life. Together, their works pay tribute to the power and beauty of nature.
Hans Silvester : The Eye that Captures the Wild Nature of the Camargue
Hans Silvester, renowned photographer, is a passionate observer of the deep connection between humans, animals and nature. Known for his commitment to environmental causes, he has spent decades capturing the beauty and fragility of threatened ecosystem.
His favorite subjects include ecology, environmental protection, animals, and simple everyday objects. He is internationally acclaimed for his long-term work with the tribes of southern Ethiopia – the Omo People – documenting their ancestral customs just before they were touched by modern civilization.
Originally from Germany, he settled in Provence in 1955 and spent many years observing and photographing the Camargue, beyond his work as a photojournalist.
Driven by passion, he sees nature as art already shaped by the elements. In his images, sunlight, wind and water become powerful sculptors of ephemeral landscapes. With nature as both subject and artist, his photographs reveal a Camargue rarely seen : driftwood sculpted by the sea, dunes carved by the wind, flamingos sketching new forms in the lagoons
The Sculptures Natures exhibition marked the release of Hans Silvester’s Camargue Trilogy, a series of photo books that explores the region from three angles :
- landscapes
- fauna
- the relationship between humans and the environment
These volumes highlight Silvester’s poetic yet precise approach, striving to reveal the raw and untamed beauty of this unique region of France.
Through this trilogy, he invites viewers to see nature as he does, with a heightened awareness of invisible details, fleeting moments and the dance of light that only a trained eye can capture.



Marc Nucera : Sculptor of Immortal Wood
Marc Nucera is a renowned sculptor whose only tool is the chainsaw and whose raw material, is the tree trunk. The uniqueness of his work lies in the fact that he does not try to tame nature, but rather to extend its essence.
A former landscape designer and tree pruner, Nucera believes every tree deserves a second life. Even when its original function is gone, it still holds potential, and a story to tell. With his chainsaw, he explores this raw material and gives trees a new existence, developing gestures that create folds, drapes, creases ...
His most recent work is his first bronze sculpture, cast from "Poisson Ivre", one of his iconic wooden pieces. This new step in his career reflects both his evolution as an artist, and his desire to push the boundaries of material while remaining true to nature and his inspirations.



Exposition Sculptures Natures : a Dialogue Between Two Exceptional Artists
Hans Silvester captures scenes where nature is sculpted by the elements : wind shaping the sand, driftwood formed by the sea, grasses creating swirling patterns in the breeze…
Marc Nucera uses the chainsaw to reveal the hidden shape in dead trees and give birth to powerful works that seem to prolong the natural cycle.
Their works complement each other perfectly : where Silvester captures an ephemeral moment, Nucera transforms it into a timeless sculpture.
The harmony between these two artists is palpable in the exhibition. This dialogue between photography and sculpture is grounded in a shared vision of nature and its creative force..
Silvester’s photographs find resonance in Nucera’s sculptures, and vice versa. Together, they invite you to explore this connection and discover a new perspective on nature and its infinite transformations.



Explore the Works from the Sculptures Natures Exhibition
The works of Marc Nucera and Hans Silvester are still available at the Retour De Voyage gallery. You can view the full selection of photographs and sculptures on our online gallery, and continue this artistic journey from home.