Exhibition "Objective Freedom!"

The Bartholdi Museum in Colmar is hosting a unique photographic exhibition, "Objective Freedom!", which marks two major anniversaries: the 140th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty and the 200th anniversary of the invention of photography. The exhibition highlights a series of photographs taken by Patrick Bailly-Maître-Grand during the restoration of the Statue of Liberty in New York in 1985. These images, in dialogue with works created by students from the Molière Middle School in Colmar, offer a reflection on freedom, creating a bridge between Bartholdi's legacy and the perspectives of new generations.

The exhibition is based on two historical anniversaries: in 1826, Nicéphore Niépce produced the first permanent photograph in history, marking the invention of photography. One hundred and forty years later, on October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was inaugurated in New York Bay. These commemorations also coincide with the museum's acquisition of four modern daguerreotypes made by Patrick Bailly-Maître-Grand based on views of the Statue of Liberty's restoration. The artist, born in 1945 and based in Strasbourg, donated these images to the museum in 2025. They complement a set of silver prints acquired by the City of Colmar during the Statue's centennial anniversary.

The exhibition presents the artist's Statue of Liberty series, the photographic techniques used, and the context of its creation. It is labeled "Bicentennial of Photography" by the Ministry of Culture.

Additionally, the museum offers an educational project linking Patrick Bailly-Maître-Grand's works with photographs taken by 8th-grade photography specialty students from Molière Middle School in Colmar. Supervised by Colmar photographers Vanessa and Vijay Moselle, the students worked on the theme of freedom, from shooting to image processing. The exhibition's opening, scheduled for Wednesday, July 1 at 6 p.m., will especially highlight the students' work.