In a time when humanist photography was dominated by black and white, these artists chose color to immortalize neighborhoods in the midst of transformation, with a particular focus on the Belleville and Ménilmontant districts. Far from the classic clichés, Bouchart and Venezia embarked on a captivating visual journey to document a changing Paris, capturing the essence of what would soon disappear.
The originality of their approach lies not only in the bold choice of color, but also in their fascination with everyday scenes of Parisian life. Children playing freely in the streets, cafés frequented by French and immigrant workers, inner courtyards of apartment buildings and workers' garden plots... all visual testimonies of a bygone era.
A Journey Through Time
This exhibition offers visitors a journey through time, transporting them to an authentic Paris, far from the dazzling lights of the Eiffel Tower. The photographers wandered the streets of Belleville and Ménilmontant, capturing the soul of these transforming neighborhoods.
Bouchart and Vénézia's photographs resonate with emotional authenticity, bearing witness to the everyday life of the cosmopolitan population in these dynamic neighborhoods. In a time of inevitable change, these images provide a privileged glimpse into a capital in transition.
An immersive visual experience, offering a captivating glimpse of Paris from the past, preserved in timeless photographs.
In the 70s, a popular Paris filled with nostalgia and realism.
The popular Paris of the 70s, a joint perspective by François Xavier-Bouchard and Léon Claude Vénétia
Roger-Viollet Gallery
6, Rue de Seine - 6th arrondissement
From March 7th to June 1st, 2024