Exhibition from October 10, 2025 to January 4, 2026
The Jeu de Paume presents a major retrospective devoted to Luc Delahaye, a leading figure in contemporary photography.
Entitled The Noise of the World, the exhibition spans nearly twenty-five years of creation (2001–2025) — from his withdrawal from photojournalism to his exploration of the most accomplished forms of documentary and conceptual photography.
A photographer of reality and silence
A former member of Magnum Photos and recipient of the Robert Capa, Pictet and Deutsche Börse Photography Prizes, Luc Delahaye has established himself as a rare observer of the contemporary world.
His large-scale, meticulously composed works oscillate between witness and visual meditation.
From the wars in Iraq and Ukraine to Haiti, Syria, and the boardrooms of the OPEC and COP conferences, Delahaye captures places of power, chaos, and resistance with a contemplative distance that questions the very power of the photographic image.
Between documentary and imagination
Since 2001, Luc Delahaye has composed his images like photographic tableaux, combining fragments of reality with digital construction.
His landmark series — House to House, Death of a Mercenary, Trading Floor, Syrian Army Soldiers, Aleppo — all share a single tension: giving form to violence without dramatizing it.
The photographer rejects any heroic posture, erasing himself behind his subject to let the image “think” on its own.
“My constructed photographs are always based on reportage.
They are made of fragments of reality, of lived experience.”
— Luc Delahaye
A geopolitical portrait of the 21st century
Through around forty large-format works, the exhibition unfolds a geography of global crisis.
Conflict, poverty, and international meetings become metaphors for a world in tension.
The show also reveals Delahaye’s more recent explorations: a return to black and white, video works (Rapport Syrie), polyptychs, and new installations.
Each image, each photographic silence, lets us hear — in its own way — the noise of the world.
Practical information
Venue: Jeu de Paume – 1 Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris 1st
Dates: October 10, 2025 – January 4, 2026
Hours: Tuesday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. / Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m. / Closed Monday
Admission: Full €13 / Reduced €9.50 / Students & under 25 €7.50
Info: jeudepaume.org
Patronage and international tour
This retrospective is supported by the Fondation Antoine de Galbert, a long-time partner of the artist since his first major monographic exhibition at La Maison Rouge in 2005.
After Paris, The Noise of the World will travel to Photo Elysée (Lausanne) from March 6 to May 31, 2026.
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❓ FAQ – Luc Delahaye: The Noise of the World at Jeu de Paume
Who is Luc Delahaye?
Luc Delahaye is a French photographer born in Tours in 1962. A former war photojournalist and member of Magnum Photos, he gained international recognition in the 1990s for his images of conflict and his documentary series.
Since 2001, he has developed a singular artistic practice that blends documentary photography and conceptual composition, exploring the relationship between reality, memory, and representation.
Where and when is the exhibition held?
The exhibition Luc Delahaye – The Noise of the World takes place at the Jeu de Paume, Paris, from October 10, 2025 to January 4, 2026, and will then be shown at Photo Elysée in Lausanne from March 6 to May 31, 2026.
What does the exhibition present?
It retraces twenty-five years of creation (2001–2025) through forty large-format works, including new and unseen pieces and a video installation on the Syrian conflict.
Themes include war, politics, institutions of power, and the balance between chaos and order — forming a visual journey through the geopolitics of the 21st century.
Is there a catalogue?
Yes. The bilingual catalogue raisonné published by Steidl brings together 74 works created between 2001 and 2025, with essays by Quentin Bajac, Nathalie Herschdorfer, Michael Fried, Bernard Marcadé, and Jean-Pierre Criqui.
It stands as a major reference on Delahaye’s artistic evolution and thought.
What are the opening hours and ticket prices?
- Hours: Tuesday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. / Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m. / Closed Monday
- Prices: Full €13 / Reduced €9.50 / Students & under 25 €7.50
👉 Online booking available at jeudepaume.org
Who supports the exhibition?
The Noise of the World is supported by the Fondation Antoine de Galbert, a long-time patron of Luc Delahaye, and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
The Fondation previously presented his first major monographic exhibition at La Maison Rouge in 2005.
Which key works are featured?
Among the major works on view:
- House to House (2011)
- Death of a Mercenary (2011)
- Trading Floor (2013)
- Syrian Army Soldiers, Aleppo (2012)
- Rapport Syrie (video, 2025)
Each work reflects the visual power and political resonance of Delahaye’s art.
Why visit this exhibition?
Because it offers a unique reading of the contemporary world through photography.
Luc Delahaye combines documentary precision and poetic restraint, asking an essential question: How can we look at the violence and complexity of the world without turning away?
An exhibition both intellectual and emotional, essential for understanding the role of images today.
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