Artistic Dialogues


Robert Frank. Tyler Mitchell. J.D. Okhai Ojeikere. Gohar Dashti. Past luminaries. Contemporary trailblazers. Paris Photo puts photography’s biggest names in conversation, from those working from the dawn of the camera to the 21st century. This November, the global art fair returns to the Grand Palais for its 27th edition. It arrives with a large programme filled with 240 exhibitors from 34 countries.

References to friendship, intimacy and perceptions of the body are present throughout the works, diving into the power of human bonds. We see this in the Elles x Paris Photo collection – spotlighting women behind the lens, which features the archive of American artist and writer Tee A. Corinne (1943-2006). She used abstract techniques, such as solarisation and multiple exposures, to portray 1970s lesbian communities, at once protecting models’ privacy whilst achieving a striking visual effect. Experimental and sensual, these black-and-white images are excellent examples of historical pieces that still resonate today.

Paris Photo also reflects the modern world. Last year, it became the first European art fair to dedicate an entire programme to digital art. The 2024 lineup consists of 15 projects that explore the limits of what we see, from the speculative 3D animations of Sabrina Ratté to the glitchy new media by Lorna Mills. Included is Turkish practitioner Alkan Avcıoğlu (b. 1982), who uses AI tools to create disorienting visual feasts that speak to mediated perceptions of reality. Here, thousands of screens crowd almost every inch of a dingy office space. As a must-attend event, Paris Photo is continuing to make a big impact on the world art stage.


Grand Palais, Paris Photo | 7-10 November

parisphoto.com

Words: Diana Bestwish Tetteh


Image Credits:
1. Image courtesy Alkan Avcıoğlu, (2024). © TENDER.