The white dress of Marilyn Monroe flying over a subway mouth, Jackie Kennedy at the funeral of her husband, Che Guevara, cigar in the beak, the face to face of Nikita Khrushchev and Richard Nixon, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Muscle… These iconic photographs are the work of the great Elliott Erwitt. The Maillol Museum pays tribute to this American photographer of Russian origin, born in Paris in 1928, who became one of the essential figures of the Magnum agency. The cultural institution retraces here his prolific work over 70 years of career, with a set of photographs in black and white, and even in color. “Elliott Erwitt.
A Retrospective” is the most exhaustive to date of the work of this intimate painter, photojournalist, advertising photographer, director, and portraitist. While he has captured the injustices of the world, such as this iconic cliché about the sinks of racial segregation in the United States, he is also known for his street scenes, famous personalities, and his fascination with dogs. Shots full of mischief and humanity that, even today, show not a single wrinkle. The exhibition sheds light on the plural vision, critical thinking, and variety of subjects of this innate storyteller of the second half of the 20th century. An attentive and empathetic humanist, now 94 years old, who has always fixed his gaze on the human condition with a clever mixture of gravity, humor, tenderness, and emotion.
Nathalie Dassa
“Elliott Erwitt. A Retrospective”
March 23 to August 15, 2023
Maillol Museum
61 rue de Grenelle
75007 Paris
Photo credit
Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas, USA, 1957 © Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos
New York, USA, 1974 © Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos
Photo portrait © Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos