While walking from Rive Gauche back to Rive Droite via la passerelle des arts, one passes the arches of the honourable Institut de France. There, as part of the PhotoSaintGermain festival, Annie Leibovitz, a long time former Parisian, shows 200 of her most iconic photographs and others, lesser known. No need to introduce Annie Leibovitz, an old friend full of talent, who photographed the most famous for Rolling Stones, like a naked John enlaced with Yoko on the floor of their bedroom, a highly pregnant semi-naked Demi Moore or Schwarzenneger on a horse. The “+” of this exhibit in the invisible presence of Annie herself. She came, saw and conquered. Spread over four large rooms, the photographs are presented in a typical Annie’s style: rough, raw, without tralala, without frame, bare on the walls. The scotch tapes are left behind on the walls to mark where the pictures should be placed. A previous exhibit, seen on Singapore, was also prepared by the master herself, in the same fashion. The content of the photograph is central and suffices itself, as Annie lets us know. I particularly enjoyed the graphic image of the ladders in a Kibbutz, the high contrast of the American soldiers with Mary, Queen of the Negritos, the “selfeet”, or the stunning image of Nixon leaving the White House and three guards trying to keep their dignity while assuring their duty. The exhibit is dense, and the various talents of Leibovitz are represented on the walls. How delightful to be treated and photographed by a colourful Andy Warhol, or to follow Patti Smith off the frame. Finally, listening to the private conversation between Willie Nelson and Louise Bourgeois. The lasting impression of this wealth of pictures: the one of Louise Bourgeois: a portrait of a beautiful old lady with at the centre of attention, an imaginary line between her eyes and her open hand – all is said.
