The webzine for English speaking Parisians
The Pompidou Center exhibits Josef Koudelka’s classic “Exiles” series. We haven’t seen his work in Paris since his big exhibition in 1988 at the Centre National du Photographie. Last year Koudelka donated to the Pompidou Center his entire “Exiles” series. The exhibition (free) includes these photos along with some interesting self-portraits taken by the photographer during his travels. Continue reading “Josef Koudelka at Pompidou”
Seeing the exhibition “Images à la Sauvette” at the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson is for many photographers almost like touching treasured saints’ relics. The exhibition is a selection of vintage black and white photos —along with the original maquette— from Cartier-Bresson’s legendary book. Continue reading “Decisive Moments Revisited”
Paris long-time expat Louis Stettner recently died at his home in Saint-Ouen, France. He was 93. Stettner was one of the last living “humanist” photographers of his generation, which included Bresson and Doisneau. His black and white photographs are both social documents and poetry. Pupil and lifelong friend of the photographer Brassai, Stettner sought to capture in his glimpses of daily life a profound connection to reality while casting light on the human experience in all its facets. Continue reading “Louis Stettner Remembered”
Richard Avedon’s French connection is the focus of an exhibition at Paris’ Bibliotheque-Mitterand (to February 26, 2017). From early fashion photos taken in Paris during the 40’s and 50’s to pictures taken in the 80’s for magazines such as “Egoiste” to his last visits to his French photographer friend Lartique, the exhibition traces the American photographer’s long creative relationship with France. Continue reading “Avedon’s France: Old World, New Look”
The Fondation Henri Cartier Breson revisits the photographer Francesca Woodman with a thematic overview exhibition of her work titled “on Being an Angel.” (until July 31, 2016). Woodman (1958-1981) is known for her enigmatic stage-managed blurred black and white photos featuring either herself or female models often nude. Her intimate autobiographical approach to the medium has inspired a generation of young photographers. Continue reading “Francesca Woodman at Fondation HCB”
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”
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”
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”
“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”
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”
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”