Visitors to Bastien Soleil’s latest solo exhibition, Odyssée, can expect a deep dive into the ethereally exquisite underwater world of the celebrated undersea photographer. The exhibit, which is being hosted by the Comité National Monégasque de l’Association Internationale des Arts Plastiques, will be on show on Quai Antoine Ier from 31st October to 7th November.

French freediver and artist Bastien Soleil has built a career around his two passions: photography and freediving. His journey of self-discovery and adventure began with a soul-searching trip to Asia, where he was introduced to the sport—a form of underwater diving that relies solely on breath-holding rather than using breathing apparatus like oxygen tanks—and became captivated by the freedom and thrill it offered.

This adoration of the underwater realm led him to incorporate photography into his dives, resulting in a series of otherworldly images that could easily be mistaken for paintings or digital creations. Soleil uses no gimmicks, with each photo meticulously staged and shot using only his eye and a camera.

“In the age of artificial intelligence, the act of artistic creation finds itself being undermined,” he says. “My work has been an act of resistance since the start: the most natural conditions possible, compositions, lights, models, as well as myself, are without a net. I work ‘free solo’. No oxygen tanks, no special effects.”

Now, he is bringing a selection of his finest works—some shot in and around Monaco—to the Principality for a solo exhibition at the Comité National Monégasque de l’Association Internationale des Arts Plastiques headquarters on Quai Antoine Ier from 31st October to 7th November.

For more information on the artist as well as a full catalogue of works, click here.

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Photo credits: Bastien Soleil