Versailles Photographed 1850-2010 is an exhibit of 130 photographs, including both famous photographers and perhaps less famous ones. It closes 25 April 2010, and is hung in the North Wing [Galerie de pierre haute]. The curator is the head of the Versailles Museum Archives Department and may have been overwhelmed by the number and historic value of the photographs. At least one reviewer for Le Monde felt that the exhibit is poorly organized, with “documentary views, in-jokes, poetic vision, and glossy fashion snaps” (Claire Guillot, Le Monde).
To which I say: So what? Versailles is an incredible, overwhelming confluence of ego, art, ntaure manipulated into controlled beauty, magnificence, attention to detail, and history. I think Le Monde missed the point: this is an exhibit about Versailles using photographs as the medium, so the focus is on the wealth of images and perspectives. The photographers featured include the well-known all-stars: Eugène Atget, Man Ray, Brassaï, André Kertész, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Dora Maar, Robert Doisneau, Henri Cartier-Bresson. But it also includes newer artists: Robert Polidori, Raymond Depardon, Jean-Loup Sieff, Michael Kenna, Jun Shiraoka and Luigi Ghirri.
There is a thematic approach, loosely organizing the photographs around four themes: “Versailles at the heart of history”; “Stone, marble and silk” capturing not only the glorious architecture, but also the luxurious details of the decoration; “Nature tamed”; and “Dreaming Versailles”, a photographic record of visitors and films inspired by Versailles itself – perhaps somewhat self-referential.
However, for the photographers out there or anyone who happned to capture that perfect image, there is another feature linked to the exhibit: A contest organized with Flickr: “Reflections of Versailles Competition”.
Each contestant may submit up to 5 photos that “highlight the play of light, the colours of the water, and reflections of the chateau and its estate.” Photographs must be in landscape format, high resolution, and natural, i.e., not heavily retouched.
To participate, register in Flickr, download the competition rules, and go to:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/concoursversailles/
concourseversailles/
The curators of the exhibit will be the jury. It’s definitely worth entering!
The first-place winner gets:
• “a privileged reportage assignment in the Chateau and its estate. You will be accompanied by a representative of the Chateau who will open for you the doors of the apartments, reception rooms and groves when the chateau is closed to the public.
• the online display of the winning photograph on the home page of the chateau de Versailles (including the author credits).
For the next 10 runners-up
Tamron zoom lens, catalogues of the exhibition “Versailles photographed, 1850-2010” and free passes for the chateau and the estate.”
Allons-y! Audace, audace, toujours l’audace!
Aussi, vite, vite, vite! The competition closes the same day as the Exhibit: April 25, 2010.
Bonne chance!