Château d'Eau pairs Chema Madoz and Helena Almeida in Toulouse

Le Château d'Eau in Toulouse, a former water pumping station turned contemporary photography venue since 1974, presents a summer exhibition pairing Portuguese artist Helena Almeida (1934–2018) and Spanish artist Chema Madoz (born 1958). Director Magali Blénet notes both artists go beyond photography, conceiving, drawing, and storyboarding their images. Almeida, originally a painter, began with sketches before staging her own body—feet, legs, hands, torso—in motion, adding magical touches. Madoz creates meticulously executed, surreal still lifes using objects he fabricates himself, playing with perception (e.g., a cracked egg with the crack continuing into the egg cup, or a knife marked like a school ruler). The exhibition includes objects, notebooks, and sketches to reveal their creative processes. Titled "Diseños habitados," the show runs from April 15, 2026 to August 23, 2026 at Le Château d'Eau, 1 Place Laganne, Toulouse.