Rencontres, Signature

Artist talk with Valeria Cherchi

mercredi 12.11.2025
18h30-19h30

On the occasion of Paris Photo, the MEP presents a special programme celebrating photography, featuring a conversation with artist Valeria Cherchi around her research project Re:Birth, which explores obstetric and gynaecological violence and its intimate, social, and political repercussions.

mercredi 12.11.2025
18h30-19h30

This event will be held in English.

Registration required via the online ticketing system – “Événements (Events)” section.

The ticket for the event also provides access to the exhibitions.

This talk offers an opportunity to interact with the artist Valeria Cherchi about a body of work that is both intimate and political, shedding light on a form of systemic violence that remains largely unacknowledged.

Drawing on family archives, new images, narratives, and interdisciplinary collaborations, Re:Birth addresses sensitive themes such as transgenerational trauma, perinatal loss, power dynamics within the medical sphere, and resilience through solidarity. This ongoing project is built around photographic documents, videos, performances, and testimonies, weaving together a multifaceted narrative where personal history, collective memory, and contemporary issues intersect.

During this presentation, Valeria Cherchi will discuss the different stages of her research — from the early death of her sister, which marks the project’s starting point, to her collaborations with women’s rights organizations, as well as her investigations into the role of doulas in marginalized contexts. She will also share her artistic approach, which combines images, texts, and installations to give voice to stories that are too often silenced.

Valeria Cherchi will be in conversation with Sonia Bisch, president of the association Stop aux Violences Obstétricales et Gynécologiques (VOG), to open a discussion on contemporary issues surrounding these forms of violence and their recognition.

Re:Birth is supported by Strategia Fotografia 2024, promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture (Italy).

Discover the website and Instagram account of Valeria Cherchi.

Cover Image: © Valeria Cherchi

Speakers

Valeria Cherchi

Valeria Cherchi is a visual artist, photographer, and educator based in Milan, Italy. Her work revolves around unspoken narratives and taboos, combining images, texts, and multimedia installations. Her research takes the form of investigations that blend field studies with the use of archives. She complements these materials with elements drawn from related and personal stories that intertwine individual memories with sociological, anthropological, and scientific observations. Her latest work focuses on obstetric and gynecological violence — a form of abuse that has long been hidden and often remains unacknowledged. Part of this research explores gender and grief from a systemic perspective; Doulas focuses on the violation of reproductive and childbirth rights within disadvantaged communities.

Sonia Bisch

Sonia Bisch is the founder and president of the association Stop aux Violences Obstétricales et Gynécologiques France (StopVOG), which works to break the taboo surrounding obstetrical and gynecological violence (VOG) in France. Through legal support, StopVOG assists victims, shares their testimonies anonymously, and conducts public awareness campaigns and surveys, notably on consent in gynecology. The association has participated in drafting legislative proposals and contributes to the feminist coalition advocating for a comprehensive framework law on gender-based and sexual violence. Sonia Bisch coordinates medical training, publishes regularly on the subject, and speaks at conferences and congresses. In 2023, she co-edited a collective book with Éditions L’Harmattan, Violences Obstétricales et Gynécologiques : que fait-on de la parole des femmes ? (In English : Obstetric and Gynecological Violence: What Do We Do with Women’s Voices?), and contributes articles to feminist and legal journals. Since 2024, she has co-coordinated the VSS Santé Collective, which works to combat all forms of gender-based and sexual violence in healthcare.