From June 11 to July 5, at Galerie 10 Jean Jaurès, the City of Nice invites you to discover the exhibition “Faces of Old Nice” by the Nice-based photographer Mathieu Py.
The Exhibition
After spending half his life in Strasbourg and the other half in Nice, Mathieu Py decided to devote all his time to photography. While developing his activities as a freelance photographer, he continues to explore both digital and film processes, and is simultaneously working on personal projects such as Faces of Old Nice.
Nineteen years after discovering Old Nice, Mathieu Py wanted to see it from a different perspective. In January 2019, with his camera in hand, he explored the neighborhood’s streets, roamed around, and wandered. He approached strangers at café terraces, in front of their businesses, and most importantly, right in the streets, asking if he could photograph them. The exploration lasted thirteen months: Mathieu Py photographed one subject per week, convinced that the documentary nature of a photographic series can only be revealed over a long period of time. Students, working professionals, retirees, tourists just passing through, or local children—the collection of over 50 faces forms a body of work in which everyone will recognize a piece of their Old Nice.
