The prestigious Paris Photo fair brought it to the event after a long absence, showcasing it through the platform Fotograf Contemporary. As a result, the Czech Republic has made its mark on the world map of fine art photography thanks to Libuše Jarcovjáková and Markéta Othová.
The international photography fair Paris Photo, one of the most prestigious events of its kind, this year selected the Czech platform Fotograf Contemporary from among hundreds of galleries. This was a significant achievement for Czech photography after more than ten years. Fotograf Contemporary, in collaboration with Sonia Voss, the curator of the Voices sector, presented the best of its offerings in Paris from November 7 to 10, 2024. The photograph by award-winning Czech photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková was also included in this year’s highlights, curated by the renowned filmmaker Jim Jarmusch.
“Being chosen to exhibit at Paris Photo is a huge success. Every year, hundreds of galleries from around the world apply for this opportunity, but only a handful of them get the chance to exhibit at this prestigious event. This means that our gallery has been recognized for its high quality, original artistic vision, and innovative approach to presenting photography. We are thrilled that we succeeded,” said the founder of the Fotograf Contemporary platform, Markéta Kinterová.
Paris Photo is the world’s largest fair dedicated to fine art photography, and its significance continues to rise. For more than a quarter of a century, it has played a key role in showcasing the latest trends and developments in the field, not only for professionals and collectors but also for other photography enthusiasts.
The participants of Paris Photo are selected by the fair’s expert committee. For Fotograf Contemporary, the selection was a particularly significant recognition, as more than ten years had passed since Czech photography was represented at Paris Photo through a stringent selection process. Fotograf Contemporary presented two female artists at this world-renowned event, both of whom are among the most prominent figures in contemporary Czech fine art photography.
The main focus was placed on the work of Libuše Jarcovjáková, whose work has gained significant attention abroad in recent years, thanks to several exhibitions there. The work of this award-winning photographer is fascinating not only for its personal narrative and the ability to reflect on herself through photography over a lifetime but also because of her long-term focus on the lives of marginalized communities, such as LGBTQ+, Vietnamese, and Romani communities in the Czech Republic.
Before the fair, the work of Libuše Jarcovjáková had already caught the attention of filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist Jim Jarmusch. The photograph titled Model, created by the photographer in 1992, was included among the works that were worth paying attention to this year. The fair Paris Photo specifically requested Jarmusch to curate this selection in honor of the centenary of Surrealism.
A visual counterpoint to the work of Libuše Jarcovjáková in Fotograf Contemporary's presentation was the work of Markéta Othová, an artist known for her conceptual approach to the medium of photography. This artist reveals her perception through the lens in a completely unique way, where the fragility and ambiguity of the world around us create new meanings, underlined by deliberately minimalist installation.
Libuše Jarcovjáková was represented by Fotograf Contemporary at Paris Photo with around fifteen photographs, while nine examples of Markéta Othová’s work were on display. In the past, Czech photography was represented at the renowned Paris event by Leica Gallery Prague, with works by Václav Jirásek, Ivan Pinkava, Ton Stan, Jiří Hanke, as well as the gallery Hunt Kastner, which presented works by Viktor Kopasze, Alena Kotzmannová, and Jiří Thýn.
After returning from Paris, the Fotograf Contemporary platform opened a solo exhibition of Libuše Jarcovjáková titled Photographer at Fotograf Gallery on November 19, which will last until December 20, 2024. The exhibition includes, among other things, new color analog photographs that are part of the series Rooms and Beds.
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The project was made possible with financial support from the Ministry of Culture, the National Recovery Plan, and the European Union.
