French artist, born in Paris in 1960.

"Text by Arnaud De St Andrieu."

Initially a still photographer and portraitist, she was highly regarded in the world of theater and show business. Her work has always been influenced by this experience: the way she soberly places herself in front of the characters, as when she was respecting the work of the directors, the objects, the light, the scenery, everything that was there before she arrived, in this scenic space, the place where things happen. From 1989 onwards, she collaborated with the daily newspaper Libération, then with major titles of the national press, institutions, NGOs and key stakeholders of our society.

Investigative photojournalist, press photographer, lecturer, but above all a portraitist and witness to our humanity. She is a regular contributor to schools, associations, major corporations and audiovisual programs, using her photographic work as a support. Her photos tell subtle stories of people's lives, without demonstration or judgment, and with the utmost honesty. Her choice of themes is attentive and precise, always focusing on the human dimension and seeking the right distance from her subjects. It's all about making being able to see situations as they are. Her work sometimes takes her where men don't go, out of modesty or… because it's too dangerous. She has succeeded in penetrating worlds that most of us ignore. She commits herself totally, like an alpine skier, she falls into the void, nothing else matters: no comfort, no glory, only the perfect image, the one that needs no explanation, she has mastered her art so well that...... subtle exception, none of her shots are ever "cropped". Certainly not.

Alongside her "commissioned" work, her oeuvre, which has been prolific for over 35 years, is rooted in a tradition of commitment, both human and aesthetic. Her sensitivity to human beings offers us an exceptional testimony to the evolution of our society, sometimes unfiltered ; but her gaze is accurate, her images challenge us, they are unforgettable, her work tackles notions of memory. The power and presence of her "clichés" have become part of our daily lives. A "humanist" photographer, an art so French, impressed by Doisneau, Willy Ronis, Izis and her peers, Diane Grimonet's poetic realism is connected to the art of Sabine Weiss and Yvette Troispoux.

Her work has won numerous awards and widespread admiration.

2023

Collective Exhibitions at the National Museum of Immigration History: "East and Southeast Asian Migrations since 1860" - Series "Undocumented Migrants in France."

Collective exhibition in the courtyard of the Hôtel des Archives nationales in Paris, series "Migration," entitled "Cachan, Refugee Camp at the Gates of Paris. “The photos from these years of collaboration with the newspaper Libération are integrated into the photographic collection of the National Archives of Paris.”

 Rencontres d'Arles exhibition "50 ans dans l'oeil de libé" at Abbaye de Montmajour from July to September 2023.

2022

 Winner of the "Grande Commande Photographique". The French Ministry of Culture entrusted the BNF (Bibliothèque Nationale de France) with the implementation of a photo commission for a "radioscopy of France" intended to leave a "trace" for our future generations.

2020

 Her photos from the "sans-papiers" series join the collections of the Musée national de l'histoire de l'immigration. Group show at Galerie Polka "Vertiges des jours" with works by William Klein, Sebastiao Salgado, Daido Moriyama, Joel Meyerowitz.

2019

 Winner of the Polka Prize "Photographer of the Year 2019", she joins the editorial board of Polka Magazine.

2016

 Exhibition "7 jours à quai" at the Hellenic Foundation, Cité Universitaire de Paris.

2011

 Exhibition with Florence Aubenas "A look at a decade of precariousness in France".

2010 

Screening at the 6th Festival d'Ankgor Cambodge on the theme of housing in France. Exhibitions and conferences at Unesco Paris "Lumiéres; le printemps de la recherche énergétique".

Perpignan International Photojournalism Festival.

2009 "Visa pour l'image" projection "Hotel sans étoiles".

2007 Nominated for "Visas d'Or Magazines".

2002 "Visa pour l'image" exhibition "Paris, City of Light" and numerous other exhibitions and screenings.