Dear Shaded Viewers,
The Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris is currently presenting the first major retrospective of Marie-Laure de Decker, a pioneering figure in photojournalism, running from June 4 to September 28, 2025. This exhibition, “L’image comme engagement” (“Image as Commitment”), is not only a tribute to her extraordinary career but also a long-overdue recognition of her unique vision and the indelible mark she left on the history of photography.
Marie-Laure de Decker’s camera was her passport to the world’s most turbulent frontiers. From the Vietnam War to the upheavals in Chad, South Africa, and Chile, she chronicled the seismic events of the late 20th century with a rare blend of courage and empathy. In an era when few women dared to enter the male-dominated world of war reporting, de Decker forged her path with fierce determination, often risking her life to document the realities of conflict.
Yet, what sets de Decker apart is not just her presence in these dangerous arenas, but her approach: she eschewed sensationalism, focusing instead on the dignity and humanity of her subjects. Her images do not dwell on the spectacle of violence; rather, they capture the resilience, suffering, and hope of those caught in its wake. Her series on Chadian fighters and Yemeni activists, for example, reveal the personal stories behind the headlines, inviting viewers to look beyond the chaos and see the individuals at the heart of history.
De Decker’s lens was equally at home in the worlds of art, cinema, and fashion. Her portraits of cultural and political icons—Marcel Duchamp, Catherine Deneuve, Patrick Modiano, Man Ray, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, Nelson Mandela—are as expressive and powerful as her reportage. These images, many of which are featured as exclusive vintage prints in this exhibition, demonstrate her remarkable ability to connect with her subjects and reveal their inner worlds.
The exhibition also highlights her self-portraits, through which she explored her own image and played with light, offering a rare glimpse into the artist behind the camera.
Throughout her nearly 50-year career, de Decker’s work was defined by its deep humanity. Whether documenting the struggles of everyday people during times of war, or capturing the personalities of artists and leaders, she consistently placed the human experience at the center of her images. Her dynamic compositions and intimate approach invite viewers to engage not just with events, but with the emotions and stories of those who lived them.
This retrospective, organized in close collaboration with her son Pablo Saavedra de Decker, offers an intimate and renewed look at a body of work that remains profoundly relevant today. It is a reminder of the power of photography—not just to record history, but to shape our understanding of it through empathy and engagement.
By rehabilitating Marie-Laure de Decker’s oeuvre, the MEP is not only honoring a trailblazer but also challenging us to reconsider the narratives of war, art, and gender in photojournalism. This exhibition is essential viewing for anyone interested in the intersection of history, art, and the enduring quest to bear witness.
Marie-Laure was a storyteller and her work stands as a tetament to the enduring value of seeing and feeling deeply. the MEP’s retrospective is both a celebration and a call to remember the courage it takes to look and to care.
Later,
Diane
