First-Ever World Photography Biennial, Paris October 30 - November 25, 2007

PARIS, Oct. 29  /PRNewswire/ -- Starting tomorrow, Paris will be home to the first ever city-wide biennial of contemporary photography from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.  Organized by the Jean Nouvel-designed Musee du Quai Branly and called Photoquai, the photo festival features 30 exhibitions inside museums and cultural centers, in outdoor plazas, under bridges and along the banks of the Seine River. While focusing primarily on contemporary artists, Photoquai will also highlight photographers who have played key roles in the history of global photography, including the 20th- century American master Walker Evans and select 19th-century European photographers.  Works on view include still and moving images in various media formats from works on paper and silver gelatin prints to video projections and films.

Photoquai will take place throughout Paris in 11 indoor exhibition spaces and many outdoor venues.  Until November 25, images will be projected onto bridges and hung in temporary containers along the Left Bank of the Seine, providing free outdoor access to over 700 images by 70 artists, offering a stunning visual complement to pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and boat passengers.  Outdoor exhibitions will take place along the upper walkways of the Seine and in the gardens of the Musee du quai Branly.  Indoor locations include the Musee du quai Branly, the Louvre's Pavillon des Sessions, the Jeu de Paume, the Brazilian and Australian Embassies, and the Chinese Cultural Center.

Developed by French scientists in the 1830s, photography has its earliest roots in Paris.  For centuries it has been home to professional photographers and countless amateurs inspired by the beauty, architecture and romance that Paris is known for.  In 1980, the city launched a biannual photo festival called Mois de la Photo.  That month-long series of events and exhibitions celebrates the photographic image every November in an even year.  Photoquai is timed to take place during odd years, providing Paris visitors and residents many unique ways to enjoy photography during alternate Novembers. Photoquai features a variety of public lectures, discussion forums and student workshops to complement its exhibitions.  The public can visit http://www.photoquai.fr/ or call (011) 33 1 56 61 70 00 for information, maps and event schedules. 

Photoquai Paris