Photo : Soraya Meunier
Exhibition - Sow cyan
Step into the hauntingly beautiful world of cyanotype art where reflections and skeletons merge on glass surfaces. It is an immersive encounter that challenges your perception of life and forces you to confront your own presence within the frame.
Bibliothèque Jacqueline de Romilly (Paris 18th)
About
From September 22 to October 17, 2026, the Bibliothèque Jacqueline de Romilly presents Sow cyan, an exhibition of delicate cyanotypes by artist Soraya. By utilizing reflective surfaces like glass and mirrors, the photographer blends natural themes and skeletal forms with the viewer's own reflection. This immersive experience prompts questions about our relationship with nature and the unseen. The event is free to attend and held in a wheelchair-accessible venue in the 18th arrondissement, making it an open invitation to explore the intersection of art and science throughout the Autumn of Science program.
Discover the poetic and luminous works of Soraya, alias sow.cyan. Nature is her main source of inspiration, and through her unique technique, she highlights its fragility. Her cyanotype photographs will adorn our animation room throughout the Autumn of Science.
Sow grew up with visually impaired parents and was often their eyes. This experience shaped her approach to art, prompting her to explore what is invisible or difficult to perceive with the naked eye.
After studies in photography and audiovisual media, she first worked as a professional photographer for events and in the studio. Discovering the cyanotype allowed her to express herself more personally. Her work is particularly interested in captive animals as well as animal and human skeletons. The captive animal reveals a constrained life behind the gaze, while the skeleton becomes the ultimate trace of existence, what remains when the body has disappeared.
She creates her cyanotypes on reflective surfaces—mirrors and glass plates—to create works that trap the viewer within the image. Thus, one never looks alone: our own reflection is superimposed on that of the captive animal or the skeleton. The visitor then becomes an integral part of the work, invited to question their place in what they observe and in their relationship with living things.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of her animal-themed works is donated to PAZ, an association committed to the fight against animal captivity and the promotion of respect for living things.
Our take on this event
The Bibliothèque Jacqueline de Romilly hosts the work of Soraya, known as sow.cyan, from September 22, 2026, through October 17, 2026. Featuring cyanotypes displayed on mirrors and glass, the exhibition challenges the observer to engage with the art as their own reflection merges with the subjects—often animals or skeletal remains. This unique approach stems from the artist's background, having acted as the eyes for her vision-impaired parents, which deepened her focus on the invisible and the nuances of the natural world.
These works are presented as part of the Autumn of Science and provide a profound look at themes of animal captivity and the remnants of existence. Beyond the visual experience, the project maintains an ethical commitment, with a portion of the proceeds from sales of animal-themed pieces donated to PAZ, an organization dedicated to animal welfare and the fight against captivity.
The exhibition is held in the library's animation hall and is open to the public free of charge. The entire venue is designed to be accessible to visitors using wheelchairs.
