Jules-Édouard Moustic, best known for his comedic parodies on French television, is showcasing a different side of his artistic talent through a photography exhibition at the small gallery of the pottery shop in Guéthary, running until August 26. The exhibition reveals the delicate artistry that the entertainer expresses in his travel journals from around the world.
While audiences know Moustic primarily for his satirical work on the cult French TV show Groland, few are aware of his deep passion for photography. His journey with the camera began early when his parents gave him his first camera at age 12 – an Instamatic with which he took thousands of photographs. The hobby became so consuming that he even considered making it his profession by attending a specialized photography school.
"A little voice told me: don't do that, keep photography as a passion, a pleasure, so you don't get sick of it, and when I think about it, I made the right choice," explains Christian Borde, revealing his real name. This decision to keep photography as a personal passion rather than a career has allowed him to maintain his love for the art form throughout his life.
The current exhibition features his travel photography from various destinations around the world, including the United States and Japan. His approach to photography is notably artistic, as he describes: "I love doing panning shots – it's something done in sports photography, and here, it's a couple coming out of a store in Tokyo." He explains his technique by saying, "I use my camera a bit like a brush," highlighting his painterly approach to capturing moments.
The exhibition focuses particularly on what Moustic calls "people of the street," showcasing his talent for capturing everyday moments with remarkable delicacy and sensitivity. His photographs demonstrate a stark contrast to his comedic television persona, revealing an artist who finds beauty in ordinary scenes and human interactions during his travels across different cultures and continents.
