Tony Noël

Biography

Tony Noël, a French photographer from Lyon, began his artistic journey in 2016. Passionate about the art of movement and street photography, he has committed himself to these two genres since 2018, making them the central elements of his work.

Tony Noël is now a representative of major photography names, including Leica and Sigma. Tony has also worked closely with the Museum of Contemporary Art of Lyon, the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, and the Lyon Biennale, where he has created diverse photographic exhibitions.

Alongside his professional collaborations, Tony nurtures his passion for contemporary art by developing several personal projects simultaneously. A notable project among these is his exploration of body movement through photography, which began in 2018, culminating in “Movement is Art” – a series resulting from four years of dedicated research into the body, movement, and dance.

Artistic Approach

The series “Movement is Art” explores a variety of visual compositions through a subtle interplay of light and shadow, celebrating the beauty of the human body in all its forms. Throughout the project, Tony collaborated with artists from various backgrounds, as well as individuals outside the art world, striving to infuse each image with a dynamic energy and unique aesthetic. This project powerfully reflects his photographic vision centered on the human body.

If light is the soul of photography, then movement is the essence of life. Tony Noël’s works thus unfold an intimate journey of inner revelation as the dancers’ bodies are liberated through passionate and sensual movements, while light and space dissolve in miniscule moments of the soul’s rhythm. The language of photography here becomes a mirror illuminating the emotional nuances within, powerfully expressed through movements of the human body.

The minimalist settings between body and space in his images, a leg and an arm stretching beyond a white frame, a piece of fabric flung upward under a narrow beam of light, a body arching in an empty room among the borders of light and shadow — evoke metaphors and contemplation of (physical) limitation and (spiritual) freedom, as well as the contrasting dual nature of life.

Exhibition

Since 2018, Tony has been involved in numerous exhibitions and art projects across France and Europe. In November 2025, he participated in the Photo Hanoi Biennale with his exhibition “Movement Is Art” and led photography workshops with Leica in Hanoi and Saigon, marking his first projects in Vietnam.

Artworks