Paris Photo 2011: Africa, guest of honor

Paris Photo 2011 will take place from November 10 to 13, celebrating this time its 15th anniversary at the Grand Palais with the presence of 117 galleries from 23 countries.

The event will showcase once again images from the 19th century, as well as from the modern and contemporary photography in an overview completed by a selection of 18 publishing companies. This edition will be dedicated to African photography, in an effort to bring to light and promote the intense artistic panorama of this continent.   

Africa is the event’s guest of honor following Germany, Netherlands, Mexico, Switzerland, Spain, Scandinavian countries, Italy, Japan, Middle East and Central Europe. The event will center, on one hand, on the younger generations, seen through Les Rencontres de Bamako Photography Biennial, created in 1994; and on the other hand, on proposals by galleries that will present emblematic works of art. In addition, an exhibition of the Artur Walthery Collection, the l'oeil publishing company will launch the first book dedicated to the renowned photographer from Madagascar, PierrotMen, as well as a volume of photos by Malick Sidibé, taken on his home town.

The Selection Committee is made up of gallery owners chosen for their experience and knowledge in the art market regarding photography. They are Guido Costa (Turin), Howard Greenberg and Edwyn Houk (New York), Tim Jefferies (London), Priska Pasquer (Colonia), Françoise Paviot (Paris), Thimothy Persons (Helsinki) and Renos Xippas (Paris-Athens). These eight views represent the different lines addressed by the Fair: ancient photography, printmaking and photography-based contemporary work.

On the other hand, with the purpose of highlighting acquisition policies of different museums from all over the world, three international institutions will present every year, as of this edition, recently purchased photographic pieces. This year’s guest galleries were the International Photography Center of New York, the Tate Modern, of London and the Musée de l'Elyséede Lausana, Switzerland.

The publishing world will have a privileged space as not only novelties will be presented, but also ancient, rare books or limited editions. Likewise, young artists will be able to submit their project to the SFR Young Talents contest –under the suggestive topic: Women: man’s future?– through the Fair’s official website http://www.parisphoto.fr.

As official partner of the important event, Giorgio Armani will display a collection of photos whose common element is the presence of water. The exhibit includes pieces by Harry Callahan, Shomei Tomatsu and Armin Haab, among others. Water supply has been one of the social causes supported by the designer through “AcquaforLife”; the feat has already collected more than 43 million liters of drinking water in the name of the International Green Cross and its projects in Ghana.

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Grand Palais

Avenue Winston-Churchill, 75008 Paris

Source: http://www.parisphoto.fr