The decision to move Paris Photo from the Carrousel du Louvre to the Grand Palais was taken before Julien Frydman was named curator, replacing Guillaume Piens. But the new man in charge has taken care to assuage the fears of gallerists who worry that Paris Photo—now the premier festival of its kind—might lose in spirit what it gains in size.
After fifteen successful years, the change of venue was inevitable. The Grand Palais is one of the most beautiful spaces in Paris, a magical place. The decision to hold Paris Photo there is a way to acknowledge that the festival is ready for the next level. Clearly, that would have been more difficult to achieve at the Carrousel. There was a sense of conviviality, and a proximity to the work at the Carrousel, both physically and metaphorically. But there is a larger audience out there that still needs to discover the importance and singularity of photography in the art world today. We have to give them the keys to do so. We have to be able to highlight photography’s rightful place in art history, and to be able to move seamlessly from a discussion of Dubuffet to one of Brassaï’s graffiti pictures.