The Maison Européenne de la Photographie (Paris) is devoting a major retrospective to Marie-Laure de Decker (1947-2023), a committed photojournalist and a major figure in photojournalism. Entitled L’Image comme Engagement, this exhibition, the first of its kind, was initiated by her son, Pablo Saavedra de Decker. On view until September 28, 2025.
An intimate, multi-faceted exhibition
Renowned for her reports from conflict zones, and her talent for portraying personalities, Marie-Laure de Decker had already been exhibited at the MEP in 2001. At the time, the contribution of women photojournalists was still underestimated; she was featured alongside Sir Don McCullin (now exhibited at La Gacilly).
Marie-Laure de Decker now makes her long-awaited posthumous return to the cultural institution with a major retrospective, initiated by the photographer’s son, Pablo Saavedra de Decker.
The collection left by the photojournalist – over 290 prints, films and negatives – is presented over two floors at the MEP. Enriched byunpublished family archives and items from the institution’s collections, it offers a rich and nuanced portrait of a major figure in photojournalism, beyond gender issues.
To celebrate feminine commitment, two young artists are exhibited in the Studio space.Ilanit Illouz ‘s installations question the pictorial dimension of the photographed landscape, while Brazilian artist Val Souza exhibits Vênus, a historical and contemporary quest for the representation of the black female body in Brazil. Two anti-oppression bodies of work that Marie-Laure de Decker, whose life was marked by passion and commitment, would have appreciated.
Fully and fiercely free
After a spell at the Gamma agency, Marie-Laure de Decker pursued a completely independent career, criss-crossing the globe for forty years to document armed conflicts and socio-political upheavals. Born in Algeria in 1947 and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, the young woman has always and everywhere stood up against all forms of domination.
The only white woman photographer to work alongside Zulu photographers during the Soweto uprisings, Marie-Laure de Decker also documented the Vietnam War, the anti-colonial struggle in Chad and resistance to dictatorship in Chile. And let’s not forget the Middle East, where she travelled from Yemen to Jordan, following the upheavals of the time.
Never where you’d expect her to be, Marie-Laure de Decker also excelled in portraiture, capturing personalities from the worlds of culture and politics. From the 1980s onwards, her photographic practice would evolve towards fashion and cinema, as she had left modeling for action and photography.
His ability to blend intimate storytelling with history, without ever yielding to sensationalism, but with a profound humanism, makes each of his images a rare and essential testimony, fully justifying this retrospective.
The exhibition coincides with the release of a beautiful book published by Editions La Martinière(€45, 256 pages, hardback, 20.8 x 29.4 cm). Another way to follow in the footsteps of a woman who walked in the footsteps of other pioneers of photojournalism, from Gerda Taro to Lee Miller…
Practical information:
Marie-Laure de Decker, L’Image comme Engagement
From June 4 to September 28, 2025
Maison Européenne de la Photographie
5/7 rue de Fourcy 75004 Paris
Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Thursday until 10 p.m., weekends 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Closed Monday and Tuesday
Full price €13, concessions €8
