The Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) is currently celebrating the richness and diversity of contemporary photographic creation with the "La photographie à tout prix" exhibition. This not-to-be-missed event brings together the winners of France's major photography prizes, highlighting unique and daring visions. Running until March 30, 2025, the exhibition takes place at the site François-Mitterrand - Allée Julien Cain, offering a fascinating immersion in the many facets of this captivating art form.

A showcase for the winners

For this fourth edition, the exhibition highlights the winners of four prestigious prizes: the Prix Niépce, the Prix Nadar, the Bourse du Talent and the Prix Camera Clara. These awards reflect singular approaches and strong artistic commitments, while contributing to the enrichment of BnF's collections.

Anne-Lise Broyer, winner of the Prix Niépce 2024, embodies an intimate dialogue between writing and photography. A graduate of the Arts Décoratifs, she enhances her silver prints with drawings in graphite, a technique evoking both the daguerreotype and photogenic drawing. Her works, imbued with visual poetry, invite visitors to explore the relationship between image and memory.

The Prix Nadar 2024 was awarded to Jean-Michel André for his book Chambre 207, published by Actes Sud. This work blends autobiography and poetic exploration, retracing a childhood trauma through poignant photographs and narratives. This work illustrates how art transcends personal experience to touch on the universal, offering a reading that is as visual as it is introspective.

Talent Revealers

The Bourse du Talent 2024 spotlights three emerging artists, each offering an innovative and committed perspective.

Karla Hiraldo Voleau, with her Doble moral project, gives a voice to Dominican women confronted with the reality of clandestine abortions. Her works, combining performance, photography and personal narratives, denounce social and gendered injustices. This powerful work resonates as a cry of hope and solidarity.

With Territoire nomade, Guillaume Holzer immortalizes the lives of nomadic communities living on the seas in Indonesia. Eight years of close contact with these populations has enabled him to deliver a profound reflection on freedom, identity and the relationship between man and nature, in a photographic series that celebrates human resilience.

Hassan Kurbanbaev's Untitled (portrait of Uzbekistan) captures the landscapes and communities of his native Uzbekistan. His photographs, taken over several years, explore cultural representations and local identities while expressing a contemporary, personal voice. This project reveals an intimate and sincere vision of Uzbekistan, far removed from the usual clichés.

The Breath of an Artisanal Approach

This year's Camera Clara Prize, dedicated to chamber photography, celebrates Alexandra Catiere for her series Le souffle de l'être. Born in Minsk and trained by Irving Penn, this artist uses photography as a bridge to timelessness. Her award-winning work, imbued with a rare poetic sensibility, is distinguished by a contemplative approach and an aesthetic on the bangs of current digital trends.

For more information, visit the BnF page.