Exploring Paris Photo 2024: A First-Time Visitor’s Experience
Paris Photo 2024, view from upper floor
The Paris Photo Fair at the Grand Palais is one of the largest international art fair dedicated to photography, attracting almost 70,000 visitors each year. Now in its 27th edition, it hosts more than 230 exhibitors, including almost 200 galleries and publishers. The fair is well-regarded not only for the breadth of its global photography but also for providing a unique platform to meet artists in person and explore contemporary trends in the medium. Returning this year to the beautifully restored glass-roof atrium of the Grand Palais, the event spans a historic and visually stunning space that magnifies the experience of encountering art. Within this expansive layout, sections like the newly curated Voices, Digital, and Emergence spotlight innovative contemporary work and provide context to the evolving landscape of photography.
All photos from my Paris Photo visit can be found on my Gallery Website.
The Grand Palais Experience: A Fusion of Art and Architecture
Walking into the Grand Palais is an experience in itself. When I first walked in, I thought: Nah, it's not that big. But don't be fooled... The grandeur of its glass-domed roof and historical architecture provides a breathtaking backdrop that complements the artwork on display. The sleek, white-cube gallery spaces scattered across the venue create a surreal effect when viewed from above—they almost resemble a huge spaceship crashing through the palais. This striking contrast between the modern, minimalist gallery designs and the grandeur of the Palais architecture intensifies the viewer’s experience, emphasizing the photos’ themes and emotions against the building’s rich history. Only very few have chosen to paint their walls in a different color - i wonder why…
Why Visit Paris Photo? The Art of Discovery
One of the standout aspects of Paris Photo is the chance to see both contemporary and vintage prints (!) in one place. For anyone looking to discover new talents or explore the work of their favorite photographers up close, this fair is a goldmine. Many exhibiting artists and gallerists are present, offering rare opportunities for direct conversations.
Beyond the art itself, the fair includes educational events, artist talks, and book signings. The Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards, Carte Blanche for emerging artists, and curated sections like Voices, a recent addition focused on contemporary and digital themes, are all part of the excitement.
Tips for First-Time Visitors
Paris Photo is an extensive event, with hundreds of galleries and thousands of works to see. Here’s how to make the most of it:
Arrive Early: You will need quite some time to walk through the gallery cubes. If possible, visit on the opening day (Thursday) to avoid the largest crowds, or at least plan to get there as early as possible (which is 13:00 for the normal day-pass). As the weekend progresses, visitor numbers swell, making it harder to see everything comfortably.
Take Breaks and Consider Multiple Visits: It’s easy to get visually overwhelmed, so if you can, consider purchasing multiple day-tickets or a conference pass to allow for breaks and return visits. Each pass type has its perks, but the professional pass requires some kind of proof but you will have exclusive access to the opening on Wednesday already.
Plan Ahead: With so much to explore, don’t leave networking to chance. If you hope to meet specific people—artists, gallerists, or collectors—set appointments ahead of time. With thousands of attendees, casual meet-ups can be tricky. The cubes do not allow for a good overview so recognising people is difficult.
Take (visual) Notes on Ideas and Techniques: The sheer variety of exhibits and the chance to observe how different galleries handle layouts, lighting, and thematic groupings can be invaluable for sparking new ideas. Whether you’re a photographer, curator, or enthusiast, there’s plenty to learn about presentation and creative process here.
Art on display interacting with the Grand Palais structures
The Paris Photo talks at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP)
The conference at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) was held on Nov 9th, and centered on Magnum Photos’ legacy, exploring archiving, distribution, and circulation. Highlights included an introduction by Felix Hoffmann, Artistic Director of the Foto Arsenal Wien, Austria, Martin Parr discussing photographic archives (his own from the Martin Parr Foundation as well as Magnum's vast archive) and Bieke Depoorter on her investigative project “Michael”. In the afternoon talks were given by Susan Meiselas and Rafał Milach. The talk of Renée Mussai’s was unfortunately canceled due to personal reaons. These sessions provided a rich exploration of how archives shape both memory and photography's evolving role in documenting global issues. For more details, visit the MEP event page. I was honored to get tasked to cover the event photographically.
All photos from this event can be found on my Gallery Website.
Photographic archives serve as essential repositories, preserving visual records that document cultural, historical, and social narratives.They not only secure the physical longevity of images but also support research by providing material for analysis across disciplines like history, anthropology, and media studies. The talks as well as the discussions with the audience made clear, that it is not enough to just put photos in acid-free paper sleeves and store them away but work with them (especially exhibit them!) Additionally an interesting discussion arose around if its better to store a photographic legacy at home (archiving is not that complicated) or hand them over to an institution (libraries, museums, universities) that act like a “safe harbor” for them.
Reflecting on My First Visit (and Why It Won’t Be My Last)
Attending Paris Photo for the first time was a transformative experience (not gonna lie). I left inspired by the range of to me unknown photographes as well as getting up close to vintage prints of my favourite photographers. The fair does more than just display art—it provides a deep dive into the world of photography, encouraging visitors to explore, learn, and engage with the medium.
Paris Photo has definitely left me with the desire to come back again.
I’ll be back!
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