Behind the Lens
Visa pour l’image 2023 Perpignan
This annual photo journalism exhibition in Perpignan, France is a must if you find yourself in this part of the world in early September.
This is my second year and I’m sad it wasn’t on my radar sooner. I believe this is the 35th year??? While my children will still let me drag them around, I will make this an annual event for the family.
Wow, just wow there is the photography powerful. And as you make your way from gallery space to exhibition spaces throughout the city, you really get a grasp on the social issues that have affected the world this year. It is a current affairs lesson through beautiful photography - sad, scary, poignant, unbelievable yet so believable, the adjectives are many and the stories are so incredibly relevant.
A current narrative and a history lesson.
This quote above by William Faulkner says it so well. “The past is never dead. It’s not even the past.”
Frank Horvat, Paris, le monde, la mode
Had a few days in Paris last week and very glad that I was able to get to one of my favorite spots in Paris for photography. Excellent exhibition of both Frank Horvat + Johan van der Keuken at Jeu de Paume in Paris. If you are in town before mid September, don’t miss it!
Les Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles
Les Rencontres de la photographie, Arles is the longest running and most famous photography exposition in the world. It’s been happening in the amazingly wonderful Ville of Arles, down in the South of France. It extends from the start of July through September, giving anyone wanting to go more than enough time to get there.
That said, I find it funny that I had never heard of it until 2020 and that was only because I was going to be in the area with my family (scouting for our move) and I wanted to know what was going on in the area at that time. I’ve been a professional photographer for 28 years (26 at that point). I obviously lived in a cave. A large cave mind you but a cave nonetheless. I bring this up in case you have been in a similar cave up until now.
As of last year, my youngest daughter and I have made it an annual daddy/daughter trip. We attend during the first week, when everyone is in town. The parties are going (which I have yet to attend but may in the future), the buyers are in town, the camera companies are showing off and lending out their gear and every other storefront becomes a popup gallerie, supplementing the 23 locations (showing approximately 40 exhibitions).
There's a bustle about town. If you think you see a photographer you admire, it may very well be them. It’s a great place to meet people that share your passion from all over the world. You’ll see work from famous artists you've admired forever and new work by up and coming photographers that you have never heard of but will now never forget. It covers a wide range of genres so you are bound to love some, like some and not vibe with the rest. All of that in an historic, beautiful town in the south of France where Van Gough painted many of his most famous paintings and some fine examples of functional Roman architecture thrown in to round it out.
This year I will say my favorites (I still haven’t seen everything so this could change) were the exhibits by/of Saul Leiter, Diane Arbus, Gregory Crewdson and the show by L’agence MYOP (in a vacant hotel including the pool). The Leiter show was great. It was a career retrospective in that it showed color, black and white, personal work, assignment work and his paintings. Very much worth checking out. The Arbus exhibit was nearly overwhelming. It had approximately 450 images that were hung in a way as to almost seem like they were on a web. If you don’t view it systematically then you are likely to miss some. Famous and rarely seen images were everywhere. It’s always a treat to see originals of work you have forever seen in various publications and simultaneously see wonderful images that are old and yet brand new to you.
As for the Crewdson show, WOW! If you are a fan then you will be blown away. If you aren’t one then you will be at the end. His work is always interesting to view but to see it at scale and in such a comprehensive collection is seriously impressive. To see the various pieces in the collections they were shot as a part of gives you an even greater appreciation for the work as a whole. He even has a collection of BnW images that are both similar and a departure from his traditional oeuvre.
Lastly, the exhibition by l’agence MYOP is a treat for both its content as well as its use of space. The images are the work of documentarians and photojournalists mainly and they cover difficult and important topics and should/need to be viewed. In addition to the exhibits, I attended a panel talk there featuring Raymond Depardon speaking about the golden age of documentary photography. Of course it was all in french so I probably understood about 10 percent of it but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I should be better next year.
To conclude… Go. See it. You won’t regret it when you do.
If you time it right you can go to both Arles and Perpignan for the best exhibition of documentary photography and Photojournalism in the world at Visa Pour L’image 23.
Click here for a short video of Les Rencontres de la photographie, Arles 2022 to get you more excited!
Magnum Photo Gallery | Paris (and London)
Magnum Photo Gallery Paris
It’s fun to wake up everyday and find out something new. I’m surprised this just came on my radar, not sure how I never knew about the Magnum Photo Gallery in Paris.
Next visit to Paris it will be right at the top of my todo list. You may get there before I do, so please share any commentary with me…
Here’s a little more info about the gallery as well as the current exhibition!
This summer, Magnum Photos presents iconic color photographs from the 20th century in the latest exhibition at its Paris gallery, located in the 11th arrondissement. It is the gallery’s first group exhibition to date, drawing upon the work of eight photographers in total: Werner Bischof, Ernst Haas, Alex Webb, Harry Gruyaert, Constantine Manos, Miguel Rio Branco, Bruno Barbey, and Gueorgui Pinkhassov.
Assembling eight different pioneering perspectives from the Magnum archive through over 40 works, the exhibition also pays homage to the traditional color printing processes of the era, featuring a large number of rare vintage dye transfer and cibachrome prints.
The Magnum Gallery represents all generations of Magnum photographers and estates, honoring the legacy of its 75-year-old archive whilst nurturing the careers of the co-operative’s younger generation of photographers. Operating in both Paris and London, The Magnum Gallery has a robust online and offline exhibition program and works with institutions, seasoned collectors, as well as amateurs in the art world, aiming at a wide public engagement for art. The Magnum Gallery is also present at leading art and photography fairs around the world.
Find the Magnum Gallery at 68 rue Léon Frot, 75011, Paris and 63 Gee Street, EC1V 3RS, London
Best Photography Festivals in France 2023
There are so many great photo festivals around the world - and Europe has no shortage of inspiring festivals to view photography. I’m going to narrow it down a bit and feature (imho) the best photography festivals in France.
There are so many great photo festivals around the world - and Europe has no shortage of inspiring festivals to view photography. I’m going to narrow it down a bit and feature (imho) the best photography festivals in France.
Four initially come to mind - and if you happen to be in France when these festivals are taking place - then I highly recommend you visit. These festivals are important for so many reasons. I find it great for inspiration. You will view curated collections of work from these visual storytellers that are excellent examples of their genre. And I particularly enjoy chance meetings with likeminded people.
Les Rencontres d’Arles de la Photographie
This summer photography festival begins July 3 this year and ends September 24. The most exciting week is the first, from July 3-July 9. During Opening Week you will see familiar photography faces, the streets are crowded, every available space seems to be a gallery of some sort displaying photography. …Throughout the city day and night, photographers and curators of the program meet the public at evening projections, exhibition tours, debates, lectures (taken from their website)
Photo Workshops, Portfolio Reviews, Exhibitions, guided tours and activities..so much to do and so much work to be inspired by. Every year I try and get there the first few days because of the buzz and excitement and then I may come back one or two more times during the quieter weeks. I have made this visit to Arles something that my younger daughter and I do during Opening Week each year. We live about an hour from Arles, so it is easy for us to return for visits during the nearly 3 months of the festival.
Arles is a great city - you will have no problem spending a few days exploring!
VISA pour L’Image - International Festival of Photojournalism
Right at the end of summer, this two week photojournalism festival is held in Perpignan, France. This year the dates are September 2- September 17, 2023. [you could easily pair both Arles + Perpignan together on a trip to France in September!]
Each year, a selection of the best stories from around the world is shown in Perpignan. Featuring in the 2023 Festival program (subject to change):
War in Ukraine
Earthquake in Turkiye and Syria
Elections in Turkiye
Iran, Sudan, Myanmar +
Uprising in Peru
Migration
Climate change and effects
Land grabbing
Overfishing
Retirement legislation and protests in France
Elections in Brazil
La Gacilly Photo Festival
This year’s Festival takes place from June 1 - October 1. Located in Western France, Southern Brittany, La Gacilly is not far from Rennes + Nantes.
[taken from their website] Founded in 2004, the La Gacilly Photo Festival invites you on an immersive photographic experience as you stroll around 20 or so open-air galleries presenting the very best in contemporary photographic creation that questions our relationship with our world and our natural environment.
Photographs adorn the streets, gardens and alleys of La Gacilly, whose outstanding built and natural heritage provides a perfect backdrop to the thousand or so images on display. Public space becomes a stage, shared and open to all, free of charge.
Every summer, some 300,000 people come to the La Gacilly Photo Festival with family or friends, as newcomers or devoted regulars, to enjoy large-format, open-air exhibitions of some of the greatest names and emerging talents in photography.
Paris Photo 2023
You would assume that one of the greatest cities in the world would host a fantastic photography festival. And Paris does! Paris Photo is The International Art Fair for photography held this year from November 9 - November 12th.
taken from their website: ‘Paris Photo 2023 ‘will present the best of photographic creation from vintage and modern masters to the latest contemporary trends alongside an ambitious programme of exhibitions, conversations, artist signatures sessions and curated fair paths’.
Paris Photo is the largest international art fair dedicated to the photographic medium and is held each November in the heart of Paris. Since 1997, the Fair’s mission is to promote and nurture photographic creation and the galleries, publishers and artists at its source.
Favorite Photography Galleries in Paris
There are so many great photo galleries in Paris and an incredible amount of other options to view photography including museums, hotel lobbies and pop up spaces around the city.
I’ve narrowed it down to tell you my favorite five. I’d say no particular order but I would be lying, MEP is hands down my favorite.
The first 3 in the list charge admission and the last two are free.
Maison Européenne de la Photographie [MEP]
5/7 Rue de Fourcy
75004 Paris
Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson
79 Rue des Archives
75003 Paris
Cour de Venise, 12 Rue Saint-Gilles
75003 Paris
6 Rue de Seine
75006 Paris
3, Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe
75004 Paris