After settling in Sweden at 15yo, multi-talented artist Martine Barrat has developed a body of work outside the traditional photography scene, centred on one main subject: New York and its marginalised neighbourhoods.
She settled there in the 1960s and devoted her life to those on the margins: the gangs of the South Bronx, boxers, Harlem, Brooklyn, and forgotten communities. Never with voyeurism. Always with infinite tenderness.
Her photographs reveal an America far removed from stereotypes—an America that is wounded, sometimes violent, yet profoundly human. Every portrait reflects a relationship built on trust and patient immersion. At times, her work recalls Bruce Davidson, but with a tenderness that is uniquely her own.
This retrospective is undoubtedly one of the finest surprises of the 2026 Rencontres d’Arles. It is also a timely reminder that Martine Barrat occupies a singular place in the history of documentary photography.
Grégory Herpe
Rencontres d’Arles – Espace Van Gogh, Arles, France
Through October 4, 2026
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