Albert Kahn, the successful banker of the turn of the century, who documented the world with 72 000 autochromes, in the “Archives of the Planet”, was a keen traveller and he always took a photographer with him. For its new exhibition, his museum in Boulogne is showing extraordinary photographs of Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro in 1909. The crossing … Read More
Frank Horvat is rejuvenated at Jeu de Paume
One of the good surprises at the opening of the new exhibition at Jeu de Paume was to meet Frank Horvat‘s daughter, Fiammetta, who is in charge of his archives and runs his studio. I knew the photographer (1928-2020) well in the 1980’s when he worked for Vogue Hommes and he had kept his charm and extreme simplicity, even though … Read More
Last chance to see… Thomas Demand at Jeu de Paume
It seems that I totally forgot to tell you about the Thomas Demand exhibition “The Stutter of History”, at Musée du Jeu de Paume in the Tuileries and it ends on May 28, next Sunday, so if you have time this week, rush to see it, it is very fascinating. The artist who was born in Munich in 1964, works … Read More
The most portrayed woman ever, Sarah Bernhardt is at Petit Palais
Out of 400 works shown at Petit Palais in the exhibition “Sarah Bernhardt, and the woman created the star”, there must be at least 200 portraits of hers in oil, watercolor, photographs and sculpture including a number of self portraits and works done by her lifelong companion Louise Abbéma. I had never realized what a good artist the actress was … Read More
Aboriginal women take over Musée du Quai Branly with their “Songlines”
Twelve years ago, Musée du Quai Branly organized an exhibition on “The origins of Aboriginal art in Australia” which was an eye opening show for most Parisians. Five years ago, the show “Songlines: songs from the Australian desert tracks” won best exhibition of the year 2018 at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. It was conceived over ten years … Read More
Photographer Patty Caroll, a breath of fresh air at Galerie XII
I had wanted to visit this pretty gallery on rue des Jardins Saint Paul for a long time since I met its owner Valérie Anne Giscard d’Estaing at an art fair… Her choice of photographers is always fun and this new exhibition with Patty Caroll, the Chicago born artist, really made me laugh. The director of the gallery Camille Reynard … Read More
Karen Knorr’s magical world is at Filles du Calvaire
American photographer Karen Knorr is always surprising. In her early career she photographed gentlemen’s clubs in London in black and white and these pictures have not aged a minute. Then she concentrated on shooting stuffed animals in French castles and museums. She travelled to India and spent months in palaces, had a bout in Japan with geishas and … Read More
Here and there, there is so much to see
“Pour la France” is a film produced by Nicolas Mauvernay, about drama and hope in life. About brotherly love and emigration. It could all seem depressing but it is riveting from beginning to end. It is based on a true story, the death of the director’s brother, Aïssa Saidi, when he was a student at the prestigious St Cyr military … Read More