The «#ARTODESSA» Gallery at the Summer Theater of the City Garden is proud to present a new exhibition dedicated to the memory of the remarkable French photographer Matthieu Chazal (1975–2024). He dedicated his life to exploring beauty at the intersection of East and West.
Matthieu first visited Odessa in 2011 and returned many times since the full-scale Russian invasion began in March 2022. His love for the city inspired us to dream together about creating a photography house in Odessa. Although Matthieu is no longer with us, his dream continues to live on.
Matthieu Chazal (1975 – 2024) was not only a French photographer but also a recipient of many awards, documenting life along the fault lines between East and West. A lover of life, he traveled for nearly two decades around the Black and Mediterranean Seas, from the Balkans to the Caucasus, from Greece to Armenia, Ukraine, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, in search of beauty. His work reflects not only the splendor of these countries but also the horrors of war. Although he did not consider himself a war photographer, his images served as a significant chronicle of some of the most terrible conflicts of our time. With a philosophical approach, Chazal created images that illuminate humanity even in the darkest times. Soldiers drinking tea between battles, people laughing at markets and celebrating weddings — all these capture life amid war, where beauty and fragility coexist.
The exhibition opening will take place on April 22 at 5:00 PM.
The event will feature Levantine music performed by Dmytro Zemskyi — it will be a joyous occasion, just as Matthieu would have loved.
