On the occasion of the 37th edition of Visa pour l’Image, the Defence Communication and Audiovisual Production Establishment (ECPAD) presents the exhibition Photographe et soldat. Une représentation de la guerre.
Since the First World War and the creation of the Army Photographic and Cinematographic Sections in 1915, the French Army has organized itself to produce their own images in pursuit of specific objectives: to report in real time on the engagement of the armed forces for communication purposes and to document all aspects of the conflict for the purpose of creating archives.
At the heart of this system stands a singular figure: that of the “soldier for images.” A military photographer, he operates in the same terrain as the civilian reporter, in war zones, and uses the same medium: photography. While both share the desire to bear witness to and capture the human reality of conflicts, their productions, although complementary, differ both in intentions and in their treatment.
This confrontation of practices and perspectives questions the role of images produced by armies in understanding 20th and 21st century conflicts. Once an instrument of propaganda, today a communication tool, military photography constitutes a valuable source for documenting armed operations over the long term. Behind this regulated production, other issues also emerge: a sensitive reading of the terrain, the expression and subjectivity of perspectives, and sometimes even a true artistic expression.
Photographe et soldat. Une représentation de la guerre
From August 30 to September 14, 2025
Palais Consulaire de Perpignan
At the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie of the Pyrénées-Orientales
Quai Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
66020, Perpignan
www.visapourlimage.com
