Gagosian is having something of a photography moment right now, with exhibitions in both London and New York at the same time as a major presentation at this year’s Paris Photo fair.
For the 2023 edition of the fair in the French capital, the gallery is showing a presentation organised by the new Director of Photography Joshua Chuang.
In “Still Life Stilled”, Chuang - who took the newly-created role at the gallery in June this year - has brought together works by seventeen different artists to examine the medium of photography and its capabilities - with a title which plays with the idea that two of photography’s favourite subjects are the still life, and the decisive moment.
“the gallery has an enviable roster of talent known for pushing the boundaries of photography and I am excited to help enhance the rigor and visibility of the program” - ChuangFrom a 1930 Man Ray portrait of fellow surrealist Nusch Éluard (below) to a 2023 work by Roe Ethridge, the gallery is showing pieces by acknowledged giants of the genre including Robert Frank, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Kwame Brathwaite, and Jan Groover, as well as the work of a number of outstanding contemporary practitioners: Taryn Simon, Sally Mann, Nan Goldin (above), Roe Ethridge, Deana Lawson, Andreas Gursky, Jeff Wall, and Tyler Mitchell. You can catch the presentation at the Paris Photo fair until Sunday, November 12.
Overlapping with the Paris Photo presentation, but on the other side of the Atlantic, the gallery continues an examination of photography with the exhibition “Seeing Is Believing: Lee Miller and Friends” at the 976 Madison Avenue space on New York’s Upper East Side.
This exhibition is curated by Jason Ysenburg and Richard Calvocoressi and presents photographs, paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, by Miller, her husband Roland Penrose (who was also a noted painter and collector in his own right), as well as artists from their extended circle - a circle that just happened to include Joseph Cornell, Max Ernst, Dora Maar, Man Ray (left, Ray’s portrait of Miller), Henry Moore, Valentine Penrose (Penrose’s first wife), and Pablo Picasso.
“Seeing Is Believing” uses photography to make clear the closeness of the friendships the husband and wife had with their companions on holidays in the South of France and guests at their own farmhouse in England.
Meanwhile, for those in London, visitors have until December 22 to see the exhibition of iconic works by Richard Prince at the Grosvenor Hill space (below). “Richard Prince: Early Photography, 1977–87” presents the artist’s famous cowboy, girlfriend, and advertisement works, including favourites like “Untitled (Three Women Looking in the Same Direction), 1980” as well as pieces which have not been shown in the city before.
And outside of the galleries there is a fourth photography exhibition, this time offering a view into the long-term photography output of someone arguably much better known for monumental installations, but who has had a lifelong fascination with photography and photographs.
“Anselm Kiefer: Photography at the beginning” is at the LaM near Lille in France until March 2024. The exhibition is supported by Gagosian and continues an examination of Kiefer’s practice as a photographer from the recent exhibition at the rue de Castilglione space in Paris’s 1st arrondissement “Anselm Kiefer: For Robert Fludd” (below).
Anselm Kiefer: For Robert Fludd - 7 September to 12 October - Gagosian, rue de Castiglione, Paris
Paris Photo 2023 - 9-12 November - Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris
Seeing Is Believing: Lee Miller and Friends - 11 November to 22 December - Gagosian, 976 Madison Avenue, New York
Richard Prince: Early Photography, 1977–87 - 5 October to 22 December - Gagosian, 20 Grosvenor Hill, London
picture credits: Man Ray: Nusch Éluard, 1930 Gelatin silver print, courtesy Gagosian; Nan Goldin: French Chris on the Convertible, NYC, 1979 Archival pigment print, courtesy Gagosian; Man Ray: Lee Miller, 1930 Gelatin silver print, courtesy May Ray 2015 Trust, ARS, Penrose Collection; installation view, Gagosian Grosvenor Hill, London. Artwork © Richard Prince. Courtesy Gagosian. Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd; installation view, Gagosian, rue de Castiglione, Paris. Artwork © Anselm Kiefer. Courtesy Gagosian. Photo: Thomas Lannes
