Runway-14, Charles de Gaulle Airport 120x180 cm 2007 Fuji Photo Paper 1/6 + 2 E.A. Image from www.louiscarre.fr

Runway-3, Charles de Gaulle Airport 120x180 cm 2007 Fuji Photo Paper 1/6 + 2 E.A. Image from www.louiscarre.fr

Runway-2, Charles de Gaulle Airport 120x180 cm 2007 Fuji Photo Paper 1/6 + 2 E.A. Image from www.louiscarre.fr

Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s solo exhibition "Tarmacs" was on view at Galerie Louis Carre et Cie from December 13 to January 26, 2008. Yann Arthus-Bertrand is currently one of the world's most famous photographers; his aerial photographs of the earth have captivated audiences worldwide. From 1995 to 2000, he flew over every corner of the globe, capturing the most beautiful places in 70 countries. In 2000, he selected 130 stunning images of earth landscapes and held a grand outdoor exhibition on the iron railings of the Luxembourg Park. This unprecedented "viewing the earth from above" photography show attracted over two million visitors. The exhibition then toured globally. I had the honor of seeing it not only in Paris but also again in Tainan, Taiwan. These aerial views of the earth help us recognize the beauty of our planet and the happiness of living on this extraordinary Earth. He stated, "The earth is visible, the earth is beautiful," hoping that humanity will preserve our environment for survival under the awareness of sustainable environmental protection and cherish our common heritage.

Interpretation of the "Airport Runway" works in color ink: Yann Arthus-Bertrand's photography is well-known for being magnificent, spectacular, poetic, full of humanistic and aesthetic qualities, humanitarian concern, and environmental awareness. Most people are familiar with his aerial views of landscapes and cultural scenes. Unexpectedly, in the gallery, we appreciate his "Airport Runway" series, created as an artist using color ink, which is almost black and white and represents the purest series of his high-altitude photography. The extraordinary images resemble Chinese ink wash paintings. This series captures the traces of black tire marks repeatedly running back and forth on runways during takeoffs, landings, or rotations while shuttling between international airports in recent years. Combined with white and yellow lines or area markings on the runways, these images were captured through his keen eye, sharp lens, and fast shutter speed, depicting the "paintings" drawn by airplanes.

The runway series feels particularly fresh within its ink-wash-like atmosphere. The bold black traces resemble free-flowing brushwork. This series is divided into two major types. In lyrical abstraction, the most striking is Tarmacs-3 (Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport), where black ellipses float in a perspective field, carrying a poetic sense of speed and mystery. The most special is Tarmacs-1 (Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport), the earliest work in the series. Through the clever composition of black spots, yellow lines, and white lines, it is full of imaginative space, resembling mysterious totemic symbols of ancient Egypt. Another type approaches abstract painting through rigorous geometric construction, such as Tarmacs-15 (Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport). On a multi-layered, elegantly dark surface, a pure white diagonal section on the right side appears both rigorous and generous. Tarmacs-13 (Suvarnabhumi International Airport) features a long white geometric shape in the upper right corner against a black background, crossed by a fine yellow line forming an arc on the left, creating an excellent poetic geometric abstraction. All these works, within lyrical and rigorous geometric structures, carry strong emotion and spiritual state, displaying the most unique earth pictures with poetic imagery.

Note 1: Yann Arthus-Bertrand's "viewing the earth from above" photography project was sponsored by the United Nations, Fujifilm, and Corbis. Its purpose is to let people understand that the place provided by the earth for us to live in is the most beautiful, hoping we can permanently manage and maintain it well, promoting current consensus on environmental awareness.