Paris Insider: Four Major Photo Exhibits for November 2023

All eyes are on Paris in November, as it’s the launch of several major photo events and exhibitions, bringing classic and cutting-edge photography together in the "City of Light."

The Marilyn Experience

Immerse yourself in the world of Marilyn Monroe, the world’s greatest movie star. The esteemed Galerie Joseph—which "promises to reveal a never-before-seen facet of the actress"—has amassed an incredible collection of rare photos by photographer Milton Greene, a presentation of the graphic novel Marilyn Monroe, Unfinished Confession, illustrated and written by Elizabeth Periale, a virtual reality program and extra visuals and sound effects.

The exhibition, which was open throughout summer, is open again until November 21, 2023.

Arresting Beauty: Julia Margaret Cameron

Photography artwork by Julia Margaret Cameron

Once upon a time, the Jeu de Paume, in the Tuileries, was an indoor tennis court built in1862, then becoming the Impressionist and 19th century art museum until the collection was moved into the D’Orsay Museum in 1986. Today the Jeu du Paume has been transformed into a photography and video center.

The current exhibition celebrates the work of Julia Margaret Cameron, a pioneering British photographer from the mid-19th century. In the first major retrospective in Paris, with approximately 100 photos, the exhibition displays a full range of Cameron’s work, in a 10-year period between 1864 to 1875, focusing on her striking portraits of small children, women and known figures of the time, including Charles Darwin, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. She also produced a series of 50 photo portraits of the Madonna, using her household servant as a model.

The exhibition is on until January 28, 2024. Visit www.jeudepaume.org.

Ruth Orkin Bike Trip, USA

Henri Cartier-Bresson was one of the most innovative and inventive photographers of all time. The Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation, located on Rue des Archives, is dedicated to the works of Bresson but also curates’ exhibitions of other significant photographers.

This fall, the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation presents "Ruth Orkin Bike Trip, USA," a photo journey of American photographer Ruth Orkin. In 1939, at the age of only 17, Orkin boldly embarked on four-month, trip across the United States by bicycle, train, bus, and car. She took over 350 photos on her journey, mostly focusing on the main cities of Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, New York, Boston, and San Francisco.

It is on exhibit through January 14, 2024. For more information, visit www.henricartierbresson.org.

Viviane Sassen – PHOSPHOR: Art & Fashion 1990-2023

Photo artwork by Viviane Sassen

In a former 17th century palace in the Marais district, Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) has been a premiere venue for contemporary photography since 1996. For its fall exhibition, MEP, for the first time, is dedicating two floors to Dutch artist and photographer Viviane Sassen, with a multimedia show of 200 photos, videos, collages,and paintings over a 30-year period. The exhibition is divided into four sections, “Umbra," “Parasomnia," “Flamboya” and “Roxane," which documents Sassen’s evolving creative process.

Initially, Sassen studied fashion design but quickly realized her passion for photography and parlayed her passion into a highly successful career, winning many awards, such as the Prix de Rome in 2007 and, in 2011, the International Center of Photography in New York’s Infinity Award.

MEP has an extensive bookshop and a 400-page book with photos and essays by Sassen, designed by the iconic Dutch book designer Irma Boom is available.

The exhibit is on until February 11, 2024. Visit www.mep-fr.org.

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