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Paris Photo 2025 Features New Sally Mann Works.
The hallowed halls of the Grand Palais in Paris are set to become the epicenter of the photographic world once more with the arrival of Paris Photo 2025, an event that promises to chart the medium's journey from its vintage foundations to its most daring contemporary expressions. For any serious connoisseur, the undeniable centerpiece of this year's edition is the unveiling of a suite of never-before-seen works by the legendary Sally Mann, an artist whose career has been a masterclass in exploring the profound, often unsettling, intersections of memory, mortality, and the Southern landscape.Mann, whose previous series like 'Immediate Family' and 'What Remains' confronted viewers with the raw, unvarnished truths of childhood and decay, continues her deep, almost alchemical engagement with the wet-plate collodion process. These new pieces, rumored to further her meditations on the body and the land, are not merely additions to her oeuvre; they are seismic events that force a re-evaluation of her entire body of work, demanding we see familiar themes through a new, more weathered and perhaps more urgent lens.The curation of such a significant reveal speaks volumes about the fair's enduring power, positioning it not as a mere marketplace but as a critical tastemaker, a platform where photographic history is actively written and debated. One can imagine the hushed, reverential crowds gathered before Mann's large-format prints, the silver gelatin surfaces holding light in a way that feels both ancient and immediate, a testament to her technical mastery and her fearless thematic pursuits.Beyond this headline act, the fair's broader offering—spanning from rare vintage icons by Cartier-Bresson or Man Ray that anchor the medium's past to the pixel-pushing visions of contemporary digital artists—creates a rich, dialogic tapestry. It’s a narrative of constant evolution, asking us to consider how the ghost of photography's chemical past haunts its digital future.The selection at the Grand Palais always tells a story about the state of the art itself: what is being collected, what is being valorized, and which voices are deemed essential for the canon. In this context, Mann’s new work serves as a powerful bridge, her timeless, tactile methods in conversation with the sleek, often conceptual output of younger artists, creating a friction that is as productive as it is beautiful. For collectors and critics alike, Paris Photo 2025 is more than an exhibition; it is a barometer for the soul of photography, and with Sally Mann steering its emotional core, the forecast is for a season of intense, unforgettable reflection.
#Paris Photo 2025
#Sally Mann
#photography
#art fair
#Grand Palais
#contemporary art
#vintage photography
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