A sublime recent retrospective at the Maillol Museum was a reminder, if need be, of the extraordinary genius of photographer Elliott Erwitt. The Magnum gallery presents a selection of his most emblematic works.

The thirty <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/art/paris-fashion-exhibition-richard-avedon-photographer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photographs</a> chosen compose a fair portrait of Elliott Erwitt, discreet and fine observer of the human comedy, capturing his loving, contemplative, prosaic, poetic vibrations. His sense of sensual black and white contrasts, stretching the palette of charcoal and opalescence, his genius for framing, between intuitive capture and precise scenography, are ideally highlighted by the quality of the prints, made during his lifetime under his supervision. Disappeared in 2023, this immense artist seems to have inscribed his work in line with the formula, dear to Montaigne, of the Latin poet T&eacute;rence &nbsp; &ldquo; I am a man and nothing that is human is foreign to me . &raquo; A few days before the inauguration of the But Seriously exhibition, the director of the Paris branch of the Magnum gallery, Samantha McCoy, answered our questions.
What does Elliott Erwitt represent in the history of Magnum?
Elliott Erwitt was a real force within Magnum. He was one of the first members of the agency (founded in 1947), joined in 1953. He was a very important figure among the photographers themselves. He was close to Bruce Davidson and Josef Koudelka, among many others, and he always enjoyed discussing photography with his contemporaries. With his humanist sensitivity, he embodies the very spirit of Magnum.
How to build an exhibition that accurately presents your work, which is of extraordinary richness and variety?
Elliott Erwitt's work really speaks for itself and doesn't require a huge amount of context. His images are sufficient in themselves. To be honest, it made my job very easy! In addition to the works, we decided to include a few quotes from Elliott, which, I find, allow us to better understand his personality, his <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/fashion/jonathan-anderson-fashion-designer-creative-director-life-storyhttps://www.lofficielibiza.com/fashion/jonathan-anderson-fashion-designer-creative-director-life-story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">philosophy</a>, and the incredible perspective he had on his subjects.
On what criteria did you choose the works presented?
On the one hand, I wanted to choose works that celebrate his life, which was easy because his images are generally very happy. On the other hand, I also wanted to present works that highlight the mastery of his photographic technique. I also took the liberty of adding some lesser-known treasures captured during his travels in <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/art/tia-thuy-nguyen-breathes-new-life-into-the-trunk-of-a-oak-tree-with-exhibition-in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">France</a>.
Precisely, given this diversity of expressions, what would be the Erwitt signature?
Elliott Erwitt mastered the art of framing, that's for sure. But what makes his signature, his singularity above all else, is his ability to detect brief exceptional moments in the everyday and ordinary. Having this look, this appetite for the exceptional in the ordinary, it's a real gift and it's what makes his photography itself extraordinary.
How can we define its impact on the history of photography?
I think it is difficult to overestimate the impact that Elliott Erwitt had on his contemporaries and on new generations of photographers. His images are timeless, remaining relevant even with the passing years. They have impact because they are universal. These are photographs that speak to everyone, without pretension, and can move or make a connoisseur laugh as well as a person who is not at all interested in photography.
Does the omnipresence of images in our daily lives require us to think differently about the organization of an exhibition, to give a work precisely its identity as a work of art?
I do not believe. In any case, these are not considerations that influence our way of designing exhibitions at the Magnum Gallery. Perhaps constantly seeing images in our daily lives, especially photography, pushes us to be more demanding in our idea of ​​what a work of art is. But for all that, I don't have the impression that we are in an active approach which would consist of restoring the quality of the prints as works of art. I believe that a work of art remains a work of art no matter how it is presented. Our role is of course to highlight the prints but above all to organize them in a coherent manner in order to pay tribute to the work of our artists. But, ultimately, I think that the prints we exhibit do not need us to maintain their identity as a work of art in their own right.
Exhibition Elliott Erwitt, But Seriously. From March 8 to May 25. <a href="https://www.magnumphotos.com/shop/events/exhibitions/but-seriously/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magnum Gallery</a> , 68 Rue L&eacute;on Frot 75011 Paris.
Hours of operation :
Tuesday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

The photography exhibition you absolutely must see this spring

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