Flying Houses

I recently stumbled upon the portfolio of the Parisian photographer Laurent Chehere, and I have to tell you that I am absolutely obsessed.  I love how his photography combines a sense of architecture with wanderlust plus a dose of "The Wizard of Oz" for good measure.  How amazing would one of these look blown up above a couch?  More photos plus learn about the photographers inspiration for his "Flying Houses" collection below.

"Movies have a tendency to shape our imaginations. Films like “Up” and, going back much further, “Mary Poppins”gave us the dream to float above the ground and into the sky with magical ease (and a prop or too). French photographer Laurent Chehere‘s latest photo project draws from the whimsical images and ideas of these, creating a series of “Flying Houses” that bring this dream to life (sort of).  In his latest exhibition, a collection of Parisian houses, caravans, and even a runaway circus tent float along the clouds like giant, architectural kites, creating a new narrative for the typical home. 

Chehere collected images of historic homes in Menilmontant and Belleville, the popular districts of Paris. He wanted these seemingly anonymous houses to be part of a new story, metaphorical, symbolic, or just subjective. Some houses look quite typical, one even with a laundry clothesline strung with the day’s wash, while others have fanciful giant windows or strange walls, adding to the dream-like quality of the picture.

A caravan, like those seen on the outskirts of Paris, soars through the sky with an open door, offering a glimpse of the family inside. A flock of birds dodge a family home aimlessly cast aloft in a stormy sky. Another is on fire, leading the viewer to believe that Chehere’s images can be dark, too, despite the childlike wonder they inspire." - Architizer Blog