In Mare Mater, Magnum Photos photographer Patrick Zachmann explores the intimate relationship between his own family history and the lives of contemporary migrants. Through video and photography, he examines the bond between migrants and the Mediterranean Sea they traverse, and the mothers they leave behind.
The exhibition marks Zachmann’s return to the Mediterranean, where his family once lived and where he first encountered the contradictions of the world. This personal project addresses themes of exile, memory, and identity, as Zachmann reflects on the migrations of the past and present. “This is a journey of memory and a voyage of exiles,” Zachmann notes. His investigation is framed by his own search for the roots of his mother, who tried to forget them.
The narrative unfolds through a triptych film installation, in which migrants’ testimonies intertwine with Zachmann’s own familial moments. These powerful sequences, filled with doubt and hope, create an emotional portrayal of the migrant experience. The exhibition also features a wall of photographs, juxtaposing the dynamic nature of moving images with the contemplative power of the still photograph.
Through his travels in Tunisia, Algeria, Greece, Malta, and Marseille, Zachmann illuminates the tension and healing that exists within the Mediterranean, a region at once full of life and conflict. Mare Mater is a poignant reflection on the human cost of migration, told through the lens of memory, family, and the sea.
