Meet the FvF Contributors: Mary Gaudin from Marseille - Friends of Friends / Freunde von Freunden (FvF)

Meet the FvF Contributors: Mary Gaudin from Marseille

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A few months ago we were happy to start sharing the first FvF portraits from the beautiful and mysterious country of New Zealand. One person who made that possible is Montpellier based photographer Mary Gaudin. Thanks to our long-time contributor and New York photographer Brian Ferry we were introduced to this talented eye behind the lens who captured the breathtaking home of artist Judy Millar in Auckland, Matt & Kate Arnold from Wellington and the humble and nature loving home of Phillipa Tocker & Ashley Cox. The reason for the overriding authenticity and warmth in these portraits stems from the simple fact that New Zealand is Mary’s country of origin.

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After completing her photography degree at Westminster University in London, she was drawn to the South and settled down in Montpellier. It is here in the South of France, where others travel for the perfect Mediterranean holiday, Mary lives with her husband. Working as a freelance photographer she focuses on interior and architectural photography. Just recently she published a zine named SIX TEN through Booklet Press in Tokyo that features photos from Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse in Marseille – the place where we met Mary this summer. Enjoying the ideal lifestyle that the South of France has to offer we watched the sun go down accompanied by a bottle of chilled Rosé while planning Mary’s first FvF portrait from this beautiful town. Stay Tuned!

What’s your favourite daily ritual?
My first cup of tea of the day after waking up. When I am in France I drink it without milk, in England I prefer the local way and add a hint of the creamy white to my cup.

What do you do when you are not working with FvF?
At the moment I’m editing photos taken in New Zealand for a book on modernist homes.

Where do you go when you want to relax or get inspired in your city?
I go for a walk along the beach or in Les Cevennes, both of which are close to Montpellier. Paris or London are my main sources of inspiration. I am often in these cities to shoot and explore and capture the culture and people.

How has technology influenced you?
Living in France technology means I’m closer to New Zealand in lots of ways. Something that is necessary to stay connected to my friends and clients.

Best travel memory?
Unexpectedly seeing the northern lights in Lapland one New Years Eve. That moment was indescribable.

Your latest artistic discovery (musical, art or design)?
Meeting the potter Bruce Martin at his home at Bridge Pa was a truly inspiring experience.

One of my cultural highlights was visiting the Wofgang Tillmans exhibtion “Neue Welt” at Les Rencontres d’Arles and Hélène Binet’s photographs of Studio Mumbai.

What was the last great meal you ate and where?
I had a few days in Liguria recently and ate fresh seafood ravioli with slightly fizzante white wine!

Three websites – more or less – you visit daily ?
I have a thing about webcams in natural places around the world. Recently the live stream from the salvage of the Concordia off the coast of Italy was great to have on in the corner of my screen while editing photos! Other daily reads include Archdaily and Eileen Fleiss’s Tumblr Les Chroniques Purple.

Who would you like to see featured next on FvF?
The architect Shiguru Ban.

What is your favorite picture on FvF?
It’s really difficult to choose one photo but I really like this portrait of Hanna Putz in front of Roni Horn’s portraits of Icelandic women.

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Whats your favorite portrait on FvF?
Brian Ferry’s photographs of designer Michael Allen’s New York apartment are brilliant. And also really like the Berlin apartment of architects and product designers Gunnar Rönsch & Stephen Molloy.

Thank you Mary for providing your talent behind the lens for Freunde von Freunden. If you want to check out all of her portraits on FvF, click here.

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