The photography of Sarah Moon, one of France’s most renowned contemporary photographers and filmmakers, is presented by Howard Greenberg Gallery from February 15 through April 6, 2024. Sarah Moon: On the Edge surveys over four decades of her work. An opening reception will be held on February 17, 2024, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Dreamy yet dazzling, mysterious and compelling, Moon’s work possesses a powerful signature style, depicting ethereal beauty, transportive places, and moments of magic in many forms. Curated by the artist, more than 30 photographs from the late 1980s to 2022 will be on view at Howard Greenberg Gallery, ranging from her legendary fashion images to landscapes from Coney Island and Tuscany.
“All along, I tried to avoid the anecdote, looking for an echo between what I see and what I feel, trying to reach that visual point of no return, that second that cannot happen again,” Moon stated. “Today, I realize that minimalism means more and more to me whatever I photograph, trying to get to the essential of what I see, cropping the subject out of its context, reducing it to that second, to that limit of time, grasping light before it vanishes. The photos I am presenting here are on the edge of that attempt.”
Moon’s unique work in the world of fashion first got her photography noticed. A former model, she began to photograph in 1970. Favoring mystery and sensuality in contrast to the glossy and erotic fashion images of the time, Moon’s intimate feminine gaze and blurred aesthetic stood out in a field dominated by men, paving the way for more women photographers to join her ranks. While she is known as one of the great fashion photographers, her oeuvre is not limited to one narrative.
“Sarah and I began to work together over 30 years ago. During these years we’ve presented exhibitions and film showings, and produced two of her artist books,” said Howard Greenberg. “In Europe, coming on the heels of her triumphant 2020 exhibition at the Musee d’Art Moderne in Paris, she has achieved world class status as one of the greats, a living legend. This will be Sarah’s first gallery exhibition in America in 12 years and will continue to demonstrate the unique style and artistry of Sarah Moon!”
ABOUT SARAH MOON
Sarah Moon (b. 1941) was born in England to French parents and began her career as a fashion model in the 1960s. She soon began to make photographs and gained recognition for her work, which was in contrast to the straightforward aesthetic of commercial photography. Her photographic work has been published in Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, Life, and numerous other magazines.
Her exhibitions have been seen throughout the world including a Fondazione Sozzani, Milan (2023); Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow (2022); Fotografiska, New York (2022); MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass. (2020); and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (2019). A solo exhibition opened at the Musee d’Art Moderne in Paris in 2020. Her work is in the collections of the Centre George Pompidou, Paris; George Eastman House Museum, Rochester, NY; J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; Museum Ludwig, Cologne; and Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Her books include Improbable Memories (1980), Little Red Riding Hood (1986), Vrais Semblants (1991), Inventario 1985-1997 (1997), Photopoche (1998), Coincidences (2001), Now and Then (2016), Orient Express (2019), and Dior by Sarah Moon (2023).
In 1979, Moon began making short films and was awarded the Grand Prix Lion d’Or at Cannes that same year. Her film on the photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson debuted in 1995. Other films include Circus (2002) and Le Fil Rouge (2006). Moon won the International Center of Photography’s Infinity Award for Applied Photography in 1985 and the Grand Prix National de la Photographie in 1995. Sarah Moon currently lives and works in Paris.
Sarah Moon : On the Edge
February 15 – April 6, 2024
Howard Greenberg Gallery
41 E 57th St 8th Floor
New York, NY 10022
www.howardgreenberg.com
