Photographs have the power to capture feelings, moments and other sentiments that would otherwise be lost in time. They give us the ability to mentally travel back in time and revisit moments that are long gone. This year, the 24th edition of the iconic Paris Photo is finally happening, revamped in a new eco-responsible venue, the Grand Palais Ephemere, making a statement about the global environmental crisis.
Carte Blanche Students 2021: Danni- they/them, "An Unending Sunday morning" , 2021 by Emil Lombardo
Additionally, a thing we all learnt from the past eighteen months is the gift of connection via the internet, locations seem to matter less when it comes to exhibiting one’s work, which is also a view Paris Photo shares. This year, they created a digital platform offering additional accessibility to works of art for collectors and enthusiasts, regardless of where they are based.
Carte Blanche Students 2021: "Our Dollhouse", 2021, Francesca Hummler
Referencing the desire for togetherness, Paris Photo unites 147 galleries from 28 countries this year, of which 63% are foreign. Diversity and inclusion is the mantra. Young people are the artistic leaders of tomorrow, that’s why Paris Photo has the Curiosa sector, which is a department exclusively dedicated to emerging talent. To showcase this, the curator Shoair Mavlian chose 20 solo shows. Besides the solo shows, 4 carte blanche students have the unique opportunity to exhibit their portfolios at the fair and will be honoured with a major exhibition at Paris main train stations.
Carte Blanche Students 2021: "Aphantasia", Mina Boromand, 2021
Coherent with the diversity aspect is also this year’s public program. This part of the fair entails the exhibition of carefully selected works of JP Morgan Chase’s art collection, including a presentation by Almudena Romero, BMW’s artist-in-residence and Oliver Cullman’s work for Pernod Ricard, resonating with the current state of the world, the work’s theme is conviviality.
Carte Blanche Students 2021: "Laws of the Haystack", 2021, Emile Gostelie
Expanding on the thought of inclusion and togetherness, for the 4th year, Paris Photo shows that female representation in photography goes beyond Cindy Sherman. To support equality in the industry, the fair is reviewing their commitment to women in photography, with the extraordinary support of the Ministry of Culture in conjunction with Kering’s Women in Motion program. Women are understood best by their own kind, so the curatorship of Nathalie Herschdorfer couldn’t be any more fitting for this occasion. With this part of the fair, Paris Photo is creating a platform for the female talent of tomorrow, giving them the opportunity to freely express themselves.
Paris Photo is forward-facing, right on its way into the creative future, full of diversity, inclusivity and equality.
find out more about Paris Photo here.