The Jeu de Paume hosts a retrospective of Francois Kollar’s photographs (to May 22). Although little known outside the photo cognoscenti Kollar was among the most innovative and experimental of France’s commercial photographers during the 30’s and 40’s. Considered a French photographer Kollar— like many other important photographers such as Robert Capa and Brassai who made their careers in France —came here from Eastern Europe. Kollar moved to Paris from Hungary in 1924. He lived and worked the rest of his life in France until his death in 1979. Continue reading “Francois Kollar, a Working Eye”
Coluche Revisited
Paris’ Hotel de Ville pays homage via video clips, photos and memorabilia to the beloved French actor and comedian Coluche (1944-1986) with an exhibition marking the thirtieth anniversary of his death. The exhibition (until January 7, 2017) revisits his stage, television and movie career up to the announcement of his presidential candidacy. His “campaign” was supported by “Charlie Hebdo” with slogans such as “Before me France was divided in two, now it will be folded into fourths.” He wasn’t taken seriously until the Journal du Dimanche published a poll showing he was supported by 16% of the French voters. Under pressure from serious politicians he withdrew. Continue reading “Coluche Revisited”
Bernice Abbott & Vivian Maier at Les Douches la Galerie
One of the best photo exhibitions in Paris this month features the work of two photograpphers Berenice Abbott and Vivian Maier (Une Fantastique Passion) at Les Douches La Galerie. This is a tale of two cities and two fantastic female photographers. For Abbott her passion was photographing the city of New York. For Vivian Maier it was the streets and people of Chicago (until November 26, 2016). Continue reading “Bernice Abbott & Vivian Maier at Les Douches la Galerie”
Germaine Krull Retrospective
The Jeu du Paume exhibition “Germaine Krull (1897-1985) A Photographer’s Journey” is a retrospective of one of the 20th century’s most remarkable women photographers. From her early Berlin nudes to fashion for Sonia Delaunay to photojournalism with Paris magazines to her last photo book “Tibetans in India” the exhibit traces Krull’s amazing life story . Continue reading “Germaine Krull Retrospective”
Florence Henri, Mirror of the Avant-Garde
“What I want above all in photography is to compose the image as I do with paintings…” said Florence Henri in 1927. The American born Paris-based painter did just that as she turned her attention to photography that year after taking a summer course at Moholy-Nagy’s legendary Bauhaus. Continue reading “Florence Henri, Mirror of the Avant-Garde”
Garry Winogrand Revisited
Paris’ Jeu de Paume is presenting a traveling retrospective of legendary American photographer Garry Winogrand (1928-1984) who chronicled America in the post war years. The first retrospective curated by John Szarkowsk took place in 1988 at the New York MOMA. Continue reading “Garry Winogrand Revisited”
William Eggleston at Paris’ Fondation HCB
The exhibition “From Black and White to Color” at Paris’ Fondation Henri Cartier Bresson revisits William Eggleston’s early color classics along with lesser known black and white work (to December 21, 2014). In addition to vintage color dye transfer prints the exhibition includes one of Eggleston’s new large size digital prints. A print from this series “Memphis (Tricycle)” sold recently at a Christie’s auction for $578,500. The 2012 Christie’s auction sold 36 of Eggleston’s digital pigment prints fetching 5.9 million dollars. Continue reading “William Eggleston at Paris’ Fondation HCB”
Emmet Gowin Paris Restrospective
“There are things in your life that only you will see, stories that only you will hear. If you don’t tell them or write them down, if you don’t make the picture, these things will not be seen, these things will not be heard,” says the photographer and teacher Emmet Gowin. One can imagine him saying such a thing to his photo students at Princeton University where he taught for 36 years. Gown through his teaching and work is one of today’s most influential living photographers. Continue reading “Emmet Gowin Paris Restrospective”
Martin Parr’s Paris
Paris’ Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) with a salute to British photographer Martin Parr gave him carte blanche to photograph Paris. For two years he pictured la vie parisienne with his trade mark style from tourists on the Champs Elysee to Bastille Day to Paris Plage to a day in the life of the Goutte d’Or neighborhood. Continue reading “Martin Parr’s Paris”
Robert Mapplethorpe Paris Retrospective
Back in 1989 Robert Mapplethorpe’s photography exhibition “A Perfect Moment” was cancelled by the Corcoran Gallery in Washington due to pressure from conservative politicians. His homo-erotic and S&M pictures at the time fueled a national debate over public funding for the arts. Some of these controversial pictures and approximately 200 other images spanning his career from the early 1970’s until his death at 42 of AIDS are currently part of a large retrospective of his work exhibited at Paris’ Grand Palais . Continue reading “Robert Mapplethorpe Paris Retrospective”
James Startt’s Walking Billboards
“Walking billboards in contemporary culture” is how photographer James Startt describes his new series of pictures “J’ecrit donc je suis” recently exhibited at the Galerie Agathe Gaillard. For these photographs, Startt- well know for his pictures of Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France- takes his camera to the streets to investigate how the lowly T-shirt serves as a medium for many messages. Continue reading “James Startt’s Walking Billboards”