Elles x Paris Photo : An Insider Guide
In its third year, Elles x Paris Photo, spotlights women photographers with the intention of paying tribute to their seminal contributions. Spanning the past 170 years, curator Natalie Heschdorfer selected 30 images referencing three historical periods. Anna Atkins is noted for publishing the first photobook, of her cyanotypes, in 1851. Orlan, the transgressive performance artist, exudes embodied power in her 1967 self portrait. Sally Mann and fellow artists now in their 70’s and 80’s, were acknowledged for their expansive impact on our visual cultural conversation. Contemporary photographers from diverse ethnic backgrounds are heralded for their bold innovative narratives making visible social, cultural and environmental challenges of our time.
FOAM hosted several artist talks available on the Paris Photo Viewing Rooms website for the remainder of this week, and on FOAM spotify playlist. The platforms specific to gender parity issues were recorded and will be available on the Paris Photo and Elles x Paris Photo website.
It was a sweet surprise to have the 10 x 10 Photobooks publication, What We Saw: Historical Photobooks By Women 1843-1999, win the Paris Photo-Aperture Photography Catalog Award. Edited by Russet Lederman and Olga Yatskevich this anthology is a first step in providing a representative history of the photobbook, inclusive of the global contributions overlooked and omitted from the relatively recent study of this artform. The non-profit which heralds a global dialog began rewriting photobook history with How We See: Photobooks By Women, focusing on books by women during the past 20 years. All publications also host a traveling exhibit and multiple public programs.
Congratulations to The Ministry of Culture who formulated Women Making Culture to support women photographers with funding resources and practical career information as a means to address gender parity. Funding, residencies, copyright issues - for more visit their evolving website here.
