October is definitely the busiest month in Paris for the arts, thanks to the Fiac (October 19-22) that brings the biggest international collectors and renowned museum curators to town. Both contemporary art museums and galleries tend to schedule their best shows of the year during this time. But as many of them do not open before October 17th, take the time to enjoy Summer shows and Fall festivals before they close!
I.
Exhibition: Irving Penn
Artist: Irving Penn
Venue: Grand Palais
Date: until January 29th, 2018
A major retrospective of the American photographer just opened at the Grand Palais, 8 years after his death. It is the first time the Irving Penn Foundation and the MET have worked together to show such a large body of work abroad. Irving Penn worked for Vogue US, Harper’s Bazaar and Saks Fifth Avenue, but at the time neither fashion photography nor magazine reportage were considered as art. If you’re into black and white photography and the icons of the 20th century, this one is a must see.
II.
Exhibition: Kiefer-Rodin
Artists: Auguste Rodin and Anselm Kiefer
Venue: Musée Rodin
Dates: Until October 22nd
If you haven’t seen it, do not miss this beautiful exhibition putting two major sculptors of modern times face to face. It was quite a challenge to juxtapose Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) with Anselm Kiefer (born in 1945) - one died in France during WWI, the second was born in Germany just after WWII. But when you see the strength of raw materials, how the hand treats the human figure and the mise-en-scene both sculptors use in some installations, it seems like an obvious pairing. This exhibition is a beautiful ode to sculpture and European history of the 19-20th centuries.
Image: http://www.musee-rodin.fr/en/exhibition/exposition/kiefer-rodin
III.
Exhibition: Biennale des photographes du monde arabe contemporain
Artists: Various Artists
Venue: Various Venues
Date: Until November 12th
L’Ima (Institut du monde arabe) and la Maison européenne de la photographie (Mep) have put together the second biennale of contemporary photographers from the Arab world. Hicham Benohoud, Farida Hamak and Xenia Nikolskaya question the arabic identity at the Mep (7 rue de Fourcy, 75004), while Galerie Photo12 is showing David Aron’s pictures from Tanger and Galerie Binôme has « The third image » on display with two young artists, Sara Naim (born in Syria in 1987) and Mustafa Azeroual (Franco-Moroccan, 1979).
Image: Randa Mirza , Residence - Beirutopia Series (2011 - current project) © Courtesy Galerie Thierry Marlat