Paris Blues – The Leica Store & Gallery New York, USA

Mathieu Bitton’s “Paris Blues”: The City of Lights at the Leica Gallery New York

The Leica Store & Gallery New York invites you to the second exhibition of the visionary photographer Mathieu Bitton: Paris Blues: Decades of Moments and Reflections. After a record-breaking debut in Los Angeles earlier this year, the show will be on view at the renowned Meatpacking District from November 7 to December 30, 2024. This retrospective highlights Bitton’s deep connection to his hometown of Paris – from the flea markets of his childhood to the mysterious nights of rock’n’roll and the fashion underground.

A career characterized by versatility and vision

Mathieu Bitton is an artist whose versatility is second to none. Whether as a photographer of stars such as Dave Chappelle and Lenny Kravitz or as a designer for music legends such as Prince, Miles Davis and Marvin Gaye, his work is a milestone in the world of visual arts. The exhibition Paris Blues shows key moments from his travels to Paris and intimate portraits of well-known personalities such as Trombone Shorty, Bruno Mars, Mick Jagger, Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder.

Bitton’s work is not only characterized by artistic brilliance, but also by a deep humanistic perspective. His documentary projects tell stories of resilience and humanity, captured through the unparalleled precision of his Leica cameras.

“There is no better place to lose yourself than Paris” – Mathieu Bitton

“While putting together Paris Blues, I realized that this is my most personal project.” With his collection of Leica cameras, Bitton documents not only places and people, but also himself – as a visual chronicler, combining past, present and future into a poetic whole.

The exhibition in New York is Bitton’s seventh collaboration with Leica and a continuation of his acclaimed exhibitions such as Darker than Blue and the first presentation of Paris Blues in Los Angeles. Each work is an expression of his artistic integrity and innovation, highlighting his ability to find beauty in any setting.

An evening of art and inspiration

The highlight of the exhibition was the opening ceremony on November 7, followed by a special evening on November 8, where Mathieu Bitton signed his books. On this occasion, the large-format coffee-table book “Paris Blues”, published by teNeues, was published for the first time in the USA. With a touching foreword by Naomi Campbell, the book is a declaration of love to Paris and a journey through the eyes of an artist.

Leica: A partnership for photography

Leica Camera AG, known for its legendary precision and craftsmanship, supports global photographic culture through its galleries and initiatives such as the Leica Oskar Barnack Award. The Paris Blues exhibition is further proof of the close relationship between Leica and exceptional photographers such as Mathieu Bitton.