EXHIBITION 2025 | THE LEGION UNDER THE SKIN

“Scars are the tattoos of the soul.”

Blaise Cendrars, Hans Hartung, Fred, Nicolas de Staël… these artists once wore the white képi.

At its upcoming edition, Moderne Art Fair is proud to host and present the exceptional exhibition:
“The Legion Under the Skin”, showcasing the photographs of Victor Ferreira, former Chief Warrant Officer of the French Foreign Legion turned photographer.
For years, he has captured the tattoos of his fellow legionnaires: symbols of belonging, silent cries, prayers etched into flesh. Each image is a brief, intense, deeply human testimony.
Born from an intimate approach, with no staging or artifice, this work reflects a rare bond of trust. Victor Ferreira traveled through regiments, jump zones, barracks, training grounds, and resting places. He met his brothers-in-arms one by one — in their daily lives or their solitude. He listened, photographed, and sometimes rediscovered them. This project emerged from that discreet, respectful relationship, between modesty and loyalty.
As a poignant prelude, the exhibition will open with the lyrics of “Mon légionnaire” by Édith Piaf — evoking, with poetic grace, those elusive and wounded figures who chose anonymity, combat, and silence.

An idea born of a meeting
The project came to life thanks to Vincent Courcelle-Labrousse, a lawyer, history enthusiast, and grandson of a Foreign Legion officer who once commanded the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2°REI). It was he who brought Victor Ferreira and Moderne Art Fair together. His personal and insightful perspective played a decisive role in the genesis of this exhibition.

An open-hearted conversation
A public conference will be held during the fair, exploring the themes raised by the exhibition: tattoo and identity, the soldier’s corporeal memory, and the transmission of silent stories. It will bring together Victor Ferreira, Vincent Courcelle-Labrousse, and other voices from the military, artistic, and intellectual spheres.

A commitment to solidarity
In the Foreign Legion, solidarity is not just a word — it is a founding value, lived daily, in hardship and in silence. Within this brotherhood-in-arms, each man knows he can count on the other — to the very end. It is this mutual loyalty, built on presence, remembrance, and honor, that the exhibition also seeks to celebrate.

The artworks on display will be sold in support of Solidarité Légionnaire, an organization that aids former legionnaires, the wounded, and bereaved families.

By purchasing a work, each visitor also becomes part of a greater commitment — quiet but essential — in the enduring spirit of unity that defines the French Foreign Legion.

For more information:
contact@moderneartfair.com

Victor Ferreira

Victor Ferreira

Victor Ferreira