Report from Paris: Galerie Thierry Bigaignon

Just a few of the great media pieces accompanying the exhibition: Harold Feinstein: Contagious Optimism (February 2-April 30) ©Serge Ricco, L’Obs Magazine, 2017

Claudio Huidobro and Francois Hebel at a small dinner at the Galerie Thierry Bigaignon, Paris, 2017, ©Judith Thompson
The exhibition Harold Feinstein: Contagious Optimism opened on February 3rd at Galerie Thierry Bigaignon to wide acclaim from the public and the press! It will run through April, which is the Month of Photography in Greater Paris. In addition to the wonderful opening reception on February 2, gallery owner Thierry Bigaignon offered private evening viewings for members of the media and other special friends of the arts in Paris. Among the people I was happy to meet during my stay were Francois Hebel, Director of the Month of Photography in Greater Paris (former director of the Arles Photography Festival), artist Claudia Huidobro, and Thomas Encho, a remarkable young musician, composer, French Grammy winner and recording artist whose haunting music hasn’t left my ears since I began listening. I was also fortunate to meet Agathe Gaillard, the grande dame of photography in Paris. She opened the first gallery in Paris devoted solely to photography in 1975. Her story reminded me a bit of Helen Gee’s who opened the first photography gallery in the U.S. devoted to promoting photography as collectible art. Harold was one of her early exhibitors in 1957! (See: W. Eugene Smith and me at Helen Gee’s Limelight)

Andy Dunn reviewing video from the documentary, Paris, © Judith Thompson, 2017
While in Paris, I was also able to set up a rendez-vous with British filmmaker Andy Dunn, who came to film some of the preparations for the show as part of the soon-to-be released documentary! We had a day to work together and it has whetted my anticipation for the final product!

My only regret while in Paris was that Harold could not be there with me to witness the beautiful unfolding of the Harold Feinstein rennaisance! Many thanks to Thierry for this great debut in Paris!

top: with Daphne Angles, NYTimes Paris bureau chief; people enjoying the opening; center: friends visiting the opening; with Claudia Huidobro and Francios Hebel; bottom: Thomas Encho, Thierry Bigaignon, Agathe Gaillard

Wonderful media coverage is still unfolding. A few examples are below. The rest can be viewed at the gallery website.