Château Haut-Brisson – Ekaterina Melnikova

Every artist we have the pleasure of welcoming at Chateau Haut-Brisson views it through his own unique lens, forging distinct connections with the estate. Ekaterina Melnikova
embarked on this journey even before her arrival. Beginning with intuitive sketches at home, upon her arrival they seamlessly mirrored her live impressions.

This approach, with its spot-on accuracy, might have surprised some, but not Ekaterina. With a background as a fashion director and stylist for major international titles such as Wallpaper
and GQ during their golden age of newcomers in the local market, she developed the habit of swift attunement to environments. Organizing countless fashion shoots across the globe
honed her anticipation skills, as she was frequently whisked off to new locations almost immediately. Always armed with her sketchbooks, pens, coloured pencils, and her essential
featherlight Orenburg shawl, she considered this aspect of her work a kind of creative sanctuary where dreams transiently materialize during shoots, only to transform into another dream captured on glossy pages.

The originality of her works stems from her childhood surroundings. Born in the region of Orenburg, where the Ural Mountains meld into the steppe on the border between Russia
and Kazakhstan, she was enveloped by the poetic beauty of the linear landscape. Her fascination with observing the skies, ground, and intricate details like sagebrush stems or
whimsical clouds chased by dry hot winds, deeply influenced her artistic sensibilities.

A graduate of the Moscow Architectural Institute, Ekaterina explored a range of applied professions, from interior and set design to fashion styling and lifestyle. Her inquisitive mind
delighted in understanding the world through its artistic manifestations, channelling her creative vigour into visual compositions, mock-ups, sets, sketches, and paintings.

Her accolades include numerous local style awards in fashion photography, and she had the honour of curating the pavilion of Russian designers at the International Fashion Showcase
2017 LOCAL/GLOBAL during London Fashion Week. She has been continuously contributing to the success of multiple local advertising campaigns and creative shoots with
contemporary artists.

Delicately woven lace of her drawings is reminiscent of Flemish painters, masters the chiaroscuro technique – ones of her favorite, by the way. Intricate floral shapes and volumes
praise the opulence of nature and its magnificent force, while captivating its mesmerizing microcosm.

During her stay at Chateau Haut-Brisson, Ekaterina relished in the harmony and unity between nature and people, particularly admiring the philosophical attitude of artisans, especially in the circumstances beyond their control. Delving into age-old winery traditions, such as planting roses at the head of wine rows to detect certain plant illnesses, further
enriched her experience.

During her stay at the estate she drew parallels to the protagonist’s experience in Stanislaw Lem’s ‘Solaris,’ notably famous for its film adaptations by Andrey Tarkovsky in 1972 and Steven Soderbergh in 2002, where nature communicated directly, inspiring ideas and visions, just like the depicted sentient ocean. Her creative fusion with the surroundings is evident in the works she shared with us. Immersed in the natural rhythm, Ekaterina found inspiration in the blossoming garden flowers, melodious birdsongs, and the magnificent full moon casting its glow upon the branches of a mighty cedar outside her window.

A lover of local antique markets, Ekaterina stumbled upon marvellous Murano glass grapes on her way to the town of Montagne, incorporating them into a customized still-life shoot.
These photos and her creations now extend a warm welcome to guests in the main hall, encapsulating the very essence of Chateau Haut-Brisson.

Additionally, she generously contributed to creating visual identities for our new product labels, homemade jams, crafted from the fruit trees of Haut-Brisson.

‘We should create beauty whenever possible. This is our way of contributing to the evolution of the world,” she asserts, embodying her unwavering conviction.