Juergen Teller, “I am Forty”, 2004. Image courtesy of Suzanne Tarasieve.
The 19th edition of Paris Photo began with a scintillating ray of hope, illuminating some of the most breathtaking and awe-inspiring photography, photographers, and galleries from across the world. November 12th capped off without a hitch at the Grand Palais along the Champs Elysées. More than 140 galleries from more than 33 countries were on hand to exhibit. Just a few weeks before, locals and tourists were treated to a teaser of things to come while visiting the adjacent Foire d’Automne, where several dozen exhibitors displayed their work.
The inaugural day of Paris Photo saw people come in droves. Unfortunately the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday November 13th brought the fair to a violent, screeching halt. The fair ultimately closed its doors on the 13th out of respect for the lives lost at Stade de France, Bataclan Le Petit Cambodge and Belle Equipe, and in order to observe the current state of emergency issued in Paris. The festival administration released a press release expressing their condolences and ultimately decided not to reopen for the closing ceremony on Sunday November 15th. Those of us who were able to visit Paris Photo on the 12th and/or 13th were treated to a magnificent world of wonder viewed through the photographer’s lense.
Highlights of Paris Photo 2015:
Paris Photo returns to Los Angeles April 29th-May 1st 2016.
Paris Photo 2015
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Andreas H. Bitesnich, "Sina & Anthony"
Austrian photographer Andreas H. Bitesnich's beautiful Sina & Anthony, 1995 rendered images of two naked dancers suspended in motion are sumptuous in tone and highly sculptural.
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Daniel Mayrit, "You Haven’t Seen Their Faces"
Photographer Daniel Mayrit won this year's Prix du Premier Livre de Photographie (or Prize For First Photo Book), for his book You Haven’t Seen Their Faces. Mayrit’s first foray into publishing came with a $10,000 prize. The book chronicles 100 surveillance video images of the most powerful people in London in all their grainy, lo-fi glory.
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Denis Darzacq, "Acte 2"
In his work, Acte 2- Mickaël Lafon, Denis Darzacq defies gravity, imagining his dancer floating down the street in an elongated ballet lift .
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Irene Andessner, "Self Portrait as Moderata Fonte"
Austrian artist Irene Andessner's diabolically devilish, Self Portrait as Moderata Fonte.
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Ishiuchi Miyako, "Frida by Ishiuchi #36,"
Renowned Japanese pho,tographer Ishiuchi Miyako’s sustained meditation of the trauma of war is dramatocally captured in Frida by Ishiuchi #36, 2015.
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Juergen Teller, "I am Forty"
Part humorous anecdote, part cultural critique, Juergen Teller’s I am Forty, 2004, is a savory piece of work.
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Thomas Mailaender, "Illustrated People"
Thomas Mailaender’s collected works, Illustrated People, won Book of the Year. Mailaender came upon some startling photo negatives when combing through the Archive of Modern Conflict. What he ultimately decided to do next propelled those images and his supporting work into the stratosphere: Mailaender developed the negatives and had them projected onto the naked bodies of several models.
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Miron Zownir, "NYC"
German-born photographer Miron Zownir’s NYC is always a head-turner.
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Malick Sidibé, "Dansez le twist"
Malick Sidibé’s Dansez le twist is part of a series chronicling Mali’s roaring rock and roll scene in the '50s and '60s.
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Valérie Belin, "Ishtar"
Valérie Belin conjures up animatronic Barbie doll vibes with Ishtar, 2015, taken from her series "Super Models".
