Preview: Paris Photo 2011

The world's premier fair for photography
November 10-13, 2011

Lens Culture is proud to be a partner once again with Paris Photo, the yearly European venue to discover (and buy) some of the most interesting photography from around the world.

Paris Photo celebrates its 15th anniversary this year at a new venue, the magnificent, turn-of-the-century Grand Palais. A total of 118 international galleries, representing France and 29 other countries, will be presenting the best of 19th century, modern and contemporary photography — with a special emphasis on African photography.

As just a small preview of the wide range and eclectic mix, Lens Culture has produced a high-resolution slideshow composed of 80 of the images featured this year.


Spotlight:
Sub-Sahara African Photography
from Bamako to Cape Town

Continuing its tradition of featuring photography from specific locales around the world, Paris Photo turns the spotlight on Sub-Sahara Africa, from Bamako to Cape Town, highlighting the newest generation of photographers from the continent.

This celebration of African photography includes work from private collections and the participation of numerous artists from the continent, whether based in Africa or elsewhere. Michket Krifa and Laura Serani, co-artistic directors of the Rencontres de Bamako, are curating the exhibition.

This year’s event will also pay tribute to the biennial Rencontres de Bamako — the only event of its kind from Africa — and its catalytic role in the continent’s photographic progression.

Lens Culture FotoFest Paris 2011:
International Photography Portfolio Review

We are happy to announce that as part of Paris Photo, for the second year in a row, we are welcoming 170 international photographers for three days of intense one-on-one meetings and portfolio reviews with highly regarded photography experts from around the world. Lens Culture FotoFest Paris 2011 is organized by Lens Culture (Paris) and FotoFest International (Houston, Texas), and is hosted by Spéos Paris Institute of Photography during the three days immediately prior to the official opening of Paris Photo.

A Meet the Artists event will be open to the public on Tuesday evening, November 8, providing invaluable exposure for the participating photographers, and allowing photography enthusiasts and collectors to make some discoveries on their own.

Other exciting photography events in Paris

As always, Paris offers a mind-boggling feast of photography citywide. Major events during Paris Photo include, but are certainly not limited to, OffPrint, an extra-special event dedicated to photobooks; an outdoor exhibition of non-Western photography called PhotoQuai at the Musée du Quai Branly; a retrospective of Diane Arbus’ work at the Jeu de Paume; photographs by the painter Edvard Munch, "L'Oœil Moderne," at the Centre de George Pompidou; and a Lewis Hine retrospective at the Fondation de Henri Cartier-Bresson.

So, November in Paris will be an extra special visual feast this year — a dream for art collectors, and total inspiration for photographers and visual artists.

The Paris Photo experience alone is such a concentrated jolt of visual/artistic input that we advise people to visit the fair for a few hours on each of the four days — pausing to take breaks to stroll the nearby Tuileries Garden, or to walk along the Seine, or to experience some of the many other photography-related events going on throughout Paris.

Paris Photo 2011
Grand Palais
November 10 - 13, 2011



Lens Culture FotoFest Paris 2011
Spéos Paris Institute of Photography
November 7 - 9, 2011