To mark the bicentenary of photography, discover Serge Assier’s portraits of poets, writers and Cannes Film Festival figures in the historic village of Oppède.
Sous la halle (Place de la Croix) et Jardin de Lizzie (dans les Jardins Ste Cécile)., Le Vieil Oppède, 84580, Oppède
From 04/07 to 30/10/2026, daily.
To open the celebrations marking the bicentenary of photography, Oppède pays tribute to the art of portraiture through two exhibitions devoted to photographer Serge Assier.
Beneath the covered market hall in the historic village of Oppède, the faces of poets and writers evoke those who have shaped contemporary words, emotions and thought.
A few steps away, in the Jardin de Lizzie, actors, directors and producers from the Cannes Film Festival appear far from the red carpet, captured in the intimacy of a gesture, a glance or a moment of creation.
Dates
from 4 July to
30 October 2026
Venues
the covered market hall and
the Jardin de Lizzie
Village
Historic Oppède
Admission
free admission
Artist
Serge Assier,
photographer and photojournalist
In Poetic and Literary Works, Serge Assier brings together portraits of writers he met throughout his career. René Char, Michel Butor, Fernando Arrabal and Philippe Jaccottet appear in photographs in which the face becomes an extension of the written word.
Presented beneath the covered market hall in historic Oppède, this gallery invites visitors to observe the expressions, silences and gestures of personalities who have shaped contemporary literature and thought.
At the Jardin de Lizzie, the exhibition Faces of the Cannes Film Festival reveals another side of the photographer’s work. Actors, filmmakers and producers are photographed at close range, in suspended moments that offer a glimpse behind the scenes of cinematic creation.
Spanning literature and cinema, these two collections offer a deeply human record of several decades of cultural life.
Born in the historic village of Oppède in 1946, Serge Assier is a self-taught photographer based in Marseille. After working in a wide range of professions, he turned to photojournalism and notably collaborated with the Gamma agency, Le Provençal and VSD.
His career took him from news reporting to the streets of Marseille and then behind the scenes of the Cannes Film Festival, which he covered for many years. His work is distinguished by his ability to capture personalities beyond their public image.
A photographer of fleeting moments and human encounters, he has also illustrated the writings and poems of numerous authors. His work was notably recognised with the Jean Roque Prize in 2000.
Serge Assier’s exhibition opens a wider programme exploring the evolution of photography, from analogue techniques to new forms of visual creation.
From 12 September 2026, the exhibition trail will continue in Les Poulivets with The Memory of the Elders. Six large portraits of local residents will be accompanied by stories accessible via QR codes, offering an insight into the memory and identity of the village.
At the Jardin de Madame, Thierry Vasseur will also present Robots and Dreams, a photographic universe inspired by Pop Art, comic books, manga and contemporary imagination.
Meetings, a round-table discussion, a specialist bookshop and Polaroid workshops will complete this celebration of photography as a living art form, a means of preserving memory and a space for experimentation.
In addition to this article
Practical information on Le Verbe et l'Image: Serge Assier exhibition
Opening times and periods
From 04/07 to 30/10/2026, daily.
Price(s)
Free of charge.
Informations
