Exhibitions around the world: 5 photography exhibitions to catch in 2017 from Paris to New York
From Wolfgang Tillmans to Philippe Halsman, we pick out 5 up and coming must see photography exhibitions
The art season is descending upon us! February saw exhibitions dedicated to two major figures of modern photography open in Paris and London. The work of 20th-century photographer Eli Lotar is on display at the French capital’s Jeu de Paume, and Wolfgang Tillmans — the first non-British winner of the Turner Prize — is honoured with an exhibition at the UK’s Tate Modern. Here’s a look at some of the unmissable photography exhibitions coming in 2017.
“Eli Lotar (1905 – 1969)” – February 14 to May 28, 2017, Jeu de Paume, Paris, France
This Romanian-born photographer and filmmaker, who arrived in France in 1924, is a major figure of avant-garde photography. Working closely alongside the surrealists, his photos were published in avant-garde magazines such as “Art et métiers graphiques” and “Jazz,” and featured in major international exhibitions such as “Documents de la vie sociale” and “Fotographie der Gegenwart.” The exhibition includes around 100 photographs, exploring the artist’s work via several themes, from maritime, industrial and urban landscapes to documentary filmmaking.
“Wolfgang Tillmans” – February 15 to June 11, 2017, Tate Modern, London, UK
The Tate Modern’s first exhibition dedicated to Wolfgang Tillmans features photographs, videos, digital slide projections and music. The show’s starting point is the year 2003, which for Tillman is the moment the world changed, with the invasion of Iraq and anti-war demonstrations. The artist’s work evokes this social and political context. As well as portraits, landscapes and still-life compositions, Tillmans‘ work also includes highly abstract and sculptural works. Born in Germany, he is the first non-British artist to win the Turner Prize.
“Irving Penn: Centennial” – April 20 to July 30, 2017, The Met, New York, USA
The Metropolitan Museum of Art will present a major retrospective of the work of Irving Penn, marking the centenary of the artist’s birth. Opening April 20, 2017, “Irving Penn: Centennial” will be the most comprehensive exhibition to date of the great American photographer’s work. The exhibition follows the Irving Penn Foundation’s donation of 150 photos to The Met, spanning every period of the artist’s career.
“Philippe Halsman: Etonnez-moi !” (Philippe Halsman: Surprise me!) – June 15 to September 4, 2017, MNBAQ, Québec City, Canada
The exhibition covers the entire career of Philippe Halsman, from his Paris beginnings in the 1930s to his successful New York years from 1940 to 1970. The photographer took a host of pictures for French magazines including Vogue, Vu and Voilà, and took portraits of personalities including André Malraux, Le Corbusier and Chagall during his Paris years. After fleeing to America following the German invasion in 1940, Philippe Halsman started working for Life magazine, photographing some of the most famous faces of the day, such as Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Duke Ellington and the Duchess of Windsor.
“Portraying a Nation: Germany 1919-1944” – June 23 to October 15, 2017, Tate Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
The Tate’s Liverpool outpost presents the faces of Germany between the two world wars, as told through the eyes of painter Otto Dix and photographer August Sander. The photographer is best known for his series “People of the Twentieth Century,” documenting the German people of the time. Combined with the work of Otto Dix, the exhibition reflects both the glamor and the misery of the Weimar Republic.