Dolorès Marat French, b. 1944

Dolorès Marat, born in 1944 in Paris, is a French photographer known for her unique artistic vision and unconventional career path. Her journey in photography began at a young age when she worked as an apprentice for a local photographer, learning various aspects of the craft.

Marat's professional career evolved through diverse roles. She started as a seamstress before transitioning to photography. From 1969 to 1995, she worked at Votre Beauté magazine, initially as a laboratory assistant and later as a photographer. At the age of 39, she embarked on her career as an independent photographer.

 Her work has been published in several monographs, including "Lune rouge et autres animaux familiers" (2021), "Illusion" (2003), and "New York USA" (2002).

Marat's photography is characterized by its dreamlike quality and instinctive approach. She captures images hastily, responding to her immediate instincts, which results in a distinctive visual style. Her work often features motion blur and explores themes of night, dreams, and transience.

The artist is known for her use of the Fresson process, a four-color charcoal print technique that gives her images a unique texture and color palette.

In recent years, Marat has received significant recognition for her contributions to photography.  In 2023, she was awarded the first-ever Robert Delpire Book Prize and had a solo exhibition, "Dolorès Marat. Chromatic Disruption," at Les Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles.

In 2024, the Fondation Sozzani in Paris hosted an exhibition of more than 60 of Marat's prints. This exhibition, organized by the Fonds de dotation Neuf Cinq - Robert Delpire & Sarah Moon, in collaboration with the French Ministry of Culture and the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP), further cemented Marat's status as a significant figure in contemporary photography.

Looking ahead, a documentary film directed by Armelle Sèvre, titled "Dolorès Marat: Through Her Lens," is set to be released in Spring 2025. The film will offer an intimate look at Marat's artistic process and her unique perspective on the world.