Rico Michel

Author: Rico Michel

Born in 1967 in the cosmopolitan city of Montreal, Éric Rico Michel is a photographer, graphic designer, and musician. Since the 1990s, he has concurrently worked in design studios, as a songwriter and guitar player with local groups, while pursuing creative projects in interactive arts and in photography. These seemingly separate paths eventually rub off on each other, trading influences, broadening the spectrum to form an experience that draws from both the rational and the creative side of the mind.

Rico has created a vector font for graphic arts magazine Rectangle (1987), published an album of original music with group Les Michels (1995), produced interactive 360° tours for Google Maps (2014), directed short film Midsummer Reverie (2017), and has participated in collective and solo art shows as a digital artist and as a photographer (2017–).

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Snowpark

Snowpark
Snowpark — View of a snowy graffitied bowl at Van Horne skatepark, in Mile End, Montreal, Quebec.

Snowpark – Wide view of a snowy graffitied bowl at Van Horne skatepark, in the Mile End borough, Montreal, Quebec. This black and white panoramic photograph was taken by Rico Michel in March of 2020.

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Winterreise

Winterreise
Winterreise — Panoramic view of the Van Horne Avenue overpass and warehouse during a snowstorm in Montreal, Quebec (2020).

Winterreise (The Winter Voyage) – Panoramic view of the Van Horne Avenue overpass and warehouse during a snowstorm in Montreal, Quebec. This black and white panoramic photograph was taken by Rico Michel in March of 2020.

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Cosmology of Light

Cosmology of Light
Entangled photons — The study of light is at the heart of quantum physics

Light is to a photographer the substance that gives shape to the world.”

The story has it that on the first day, the Divine created all matter. He then wanted to create light, so he could sit back and admire the work he had just accomplished.

Light is what makes our world visible. It outlines rocky capes, bathes valleys, and sparkles at the tip of waves. It lends its warmth to autumn, and gets pale in the winter. It wakes us up in the morning, and takes us back to sleep at night.

I sometimes find myself in proper awe of these celestial spectacles. I am reminded that light isn’t of a terrestrial nature, it is a cosmic force. It reaches us all the way from a star, that fireball hanging in the sky a hundred fifty million kilometers away. Without its warmth and clarity, life wouldn’t be possible on Earth, and of course, there would be no photography.

Over the course of my adventures, I have familiarized myself with its many moods, and made it into an ally. Light is the muse, the source, the carrier, and the one from which, when it disappears, I await the return.
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Heroes in the making

Comiccon is a theater in which everyone becomes author and actor of their own character.»

Gallery

Malicia, Lily and Phil
Malicia, Lily & Phil — Malicia, Lily and Phil cosplaying as Tank Girl, Vi and Prince X-Aix, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Danny Pothier
The Riddler by Danny — Danny Pothier cosplaying as the Riddler from Batman Forever, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Max Lauzon
Jinx by Max — Max Lauzon cosplaying as Jink of game League of Legends, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Downpicked by Ren
Downpicked by Ren — Portrait of Downpicked guitar player Ren at Palais des Congrès, in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Dominic Germain
Pyramid Head by Dominic — Dominic Germain of Armuriers d’Atlantide cosplaying as Pyramid Head, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Érianne Tremblay
Zero Two by Érianne — Érianne Tremblay cosplaying as anime character Zero Two, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Matthieu Duchesneau
Link by Matthieu — Matthieu Duchesneau cosplaying as Link from The Legend of Zelda, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Dutch Angel Dragon
Angel Dragon — Anonymous cosplayer in a Dutch Angel Dragon fursuit, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Jennyfer
Officer Jenny by Jennyfer — Jennyfer cosplaying as Officer Jenny from Pokémon, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Jonathan
Steve Rogers by Jonathan — Jonathan cosplaying as Steve Rogers at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Zara
Hela by Zara — Zara cosplaying as Hela from Thor Ragnarok, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Aleya
Sailor Mini Moon by Aleya — Aleya cosplaying as a punk version of Sailor Mini Moon, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Dieuvannie
Bowsette by Dieuvannie — Dieuvannie cosplaying as Bowsette from Super Mario Bros, at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
William
Emma Frost by William — William cosplaying as Emma Frost of Marvel’s X-Men at Comiccon in Montreal, Quebec (2019).

These portraits of cosplayers were photographed on medium format analog film during the 2019 and 2022 editions of Montreal Comiccon.

images © 2019-2022 Rico Michel Read

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An artist’s headspace

Photographers are realists,
artists are mystics.”

This series portrays significant Montreal artists and their creative environment. Painters, sculptors, writers and musicians are photographed on classic analog film.

Gallery

Marc Leduc
Marc Leduc — Portrait of painter Marc Leduc in his atelier, at home in Montreal, Quebec (2018).
Julie Robinson
Julie Robinson — Portrait of painter Julie Robinson in her Mile End atelier, in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
André Fournelle
André Fournelle — Portrait of sculptor André Fournelle in his atelier, at home in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Armand Vaillancourt
Armand Vaillancourt — Portrait of sculptor Armand Vaillancourt at home in Montreal, Quebec (2020).
Ola Volo
Ola Volo — Portrait of muralist Ola Volo at work on boulevard Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Glen LeMesurier
Glen LeMesurier — Portrait of sculptor Glen LeMesurier in his Van Horne Terminal atelier, in Montreal, Quebec (2020).
Adam Vieira
Whatisadam — Portrait of street artist Whatisadam in his silkscreening shop, in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Chinook Blais-Leduc
Chinook Blais-Leduc — Portrait of actor Chinook Blais-Leduc and his vintage bicycle, in Mount Royal Park, Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Chris Dyer
Chris Dyer — Portrait of artist Chris Dyer in his studio, at home in Montreal, Quebec (2020).
Harri Saeso
Harri Saeso — Portrait of painter Harri Saeso at Marché Ventura dépanneur in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Erik West Millette
Erik West Millette — Portrait of musician Erik West Millette in his West Trainz studio, in Montreal, Quebec (2020).
Eddy Blake Eaton
Blake Eaton — Portrait of musician Eddy Blake Eaton in his garden, in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
François Alfred Mignault
François Alfred Mignault — Portrait of neon artist François Alfred Mignault with a saxophone, in Montreal, Quebec (2019).

images © 2018-2020 Rico Michel Read

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Portraits

Gallery

François Alfred Mignault
François Alfred Mignault — Portrait of neon blower François Alfred Mignault in his atelier, in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Thierry Dimanche
Thierry Dimanche — Portrait of writer Thierry Dimanche on a Saint-Denis Street rooftop, in Montreal, Quebec (2021).
Armand Vaillancourt
Armand Vaillancourt — Armand Vaillancourt unveiling his sculpture in honor of Pierre Falardeau, in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Georges Dutil
Georges Dutil — Portrait of photographer Georges Dutil at the XL6 exhibition opening, in Montreal, Quebec (2024).
Éric Michel
Éric Michel — Portrait of writer and musician Éric Michel with an electric guitar, in Montreal, Quebec (2024).
Mephisto Bates
Mephisto Bates — Portrait of painter Mephisto Bates in his Hochelaga-Maisonneuve atelier, in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Olaf Gundel
Olaf Gundel — Portrait of musician Olaf Gundel with a cigar box guitar, in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Jonathan Wenk
Jonathan Wenk — Portrait of photographer Jonathan Wenk in his studio, in Montreal, Quebec (2024).
Harri Kuldip
Harri Saeso — Portrait of painter Harri Saeso at Marché Ventura dépanneur in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Bertrand Laverdure et Catherine Filteau
Bertrand et Catherine — Portrait of poet Bertrand Laverdure and illustrator Catherine Filteau on Mount Royal (2021).
Eddy Blake Eaton
Blake’s Solo — Double bass player Eddy Blake performs with his rockabilly trio at Quai des Brumes in Montreal, Quebec (2018).
Chloé Surprenant
Chloé Surprenant — Portrait of painter Chloé Surprenant in her trailer in Montreal, Quebec (2018).
Loverboy Sarah
Loverboy Sarah — Portrait of Sarah, guitar player of punk band Unwanted Noise, in Montreal, Quebec (2019).

images © 2018-2024 Rico Michel Read

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Live and Well

Gallery

Eddy Blake
Blake on three strings — Eddy Blake playing on three strings at Eric Sandmark’s birthday party in Montreal, Quebec (2020).
Luc Melanson
Les Mauvaises Mines — Les Mauvaises Mines play a Denis Rainville tribute at Lion d’Or, in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Santosh Lalonde
Santosh Lalonde — Singer songwriter Santosh Lalonde plays Quai des Brumes as a one-man band, in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Gretchen Megafun
Gretchen — Jimmy St-Amand’s melodic feedback instrument on stage with Rail Nomads in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Emily Estrella
Emily Estrella — Emily Estrella & the Stardust Stompers play Stromboli Square, in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Bloodshot Bill
Bill’s tongue — Bloodshot Bill & the Hack-Em-Ups play at outdoors hotspot Stromboli Square, in Montreal, Quebec (2022).
Jour de l'an 2020
New Year’s Eves — L’Orchestre Équestre inaugurates the new decade at Cheval Blanc, in Montreal, Quebec (2020).
Black Moon Boys
Black Moon Boys — Black Moon Boys’ “Nuthouse!” album launch at l'Esco, in Montreal, Quebec (2018).
Eric Sandmark and Rockabilly Rascals
Rockabilly Rascals — Eric Sandmark and his Rockabilly Rascals play l’Escalier in Montreal, Quebec (2018).
Rock and Roll Superhero
Rock & Roll Superhero — Eric Sandmark soloing at his “Let’s go Boppin’” album launch at Quai des Brumes in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Kurt Chaboyer
Kurt Chaboyer — Kurt Chaboyer plays famed venue l'Esco as quarantine is partially lifted in Montreal, Quebec (2020).
Jazzebo
Jazzebo — L'effet Jazzebo plays the Quai des Brumes in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Hugo Joyal
Steel Guitar — Hugo Joyal plays the steel guitar with rockabilly group The Luckies at Quai des Brumes in Montreal, Quebec (2019).
Bloodshot Bill
One last song — Bloodshot Bill plays famed venue le Divan Orange a few days before its final closure, in Montreal, Quebec (2018).

images © 2018-2022 Rico Michel

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“Reveries” Exhibition

“Reveries” Exhibition

I sometimes wonder if these images aren’t dreams I made in a moment of reverie.”

Reveries is a photographic portrait of Montreal and its people shot on classic analog film. The exhibition featured nineteen black and white prints and was held in 2018 at Montreal’s legendary artisan brewery Le Cheval blanc.

Far from a factual record of our time, this collection of ready-made memories was assembled during countless wanderings in the heart of a fleeting city.

The series borrows from the visual language of the photo reportage, but isn’t set in a precise timeline or linked to a particular event.

Gallery

Exposition Rêveries
“Rêveries” exhibition — Rico Michel’s analog photography exhibition Reveries was held in 2018 at Montreal’s legendary artisan brewery Le Cheval blanc.

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Pushes and pulls

A person’s work can only reflect their own personal drives, hesitations and fears — all of the different internal pulls that will balance each other to form an individual’s own approach to life. For me, the best things in life involve sharing. As a mere mortal I am not completely selfless, but ultimately, my goal is to leave behind images that will survive my own ephemerality. I wish for these images to be meaningful enough in themselves to be able to connect with the people of the future.

You are taking a real picture in real time no matter how conceptual it is. ”

Annie Leibovitz, from Taschen’s “Annie’s Album” interview

© 2024 Rico Michel – All rights reserved