Paris, like any big city, has its well-stored secrets just around the corner. of course we all know and have gone to the big museums like The Louvre, but once you stay here for a while you start reaching the other layers of Paris´ underground culture where the real thing is going on. This is a brief list of my favorite five places to see that are not so popular.
1
Le Maison Doisneau
Well, all photographers that think of themselves as connoisseurs of the greatest names in history have to be familiar with the name Robert Doisneau. The father of photojournalism and the one who started taking random pictures at the streets of Paris giving birth to a whole new wave of photography. The movement was known as humanist photography and he had a very famous contemporary called Henri Cartier-Bresson. As a historic character, Robert Doisneau is fascinating. He was in the World War II as soldier and photographer and also used his artistic skills to forge passports for the French Resistance. The gallery is nothing short of a faithful representation of an intense man who lived a life devoted to his passion. A definite must-see.
2
Fait & Cause
This is a gallery that is completely different from the previous one, but has a lot of meaning for those of us who are concerned about social issues. I am a photographer as well as a painter and most times I leave home camera in hand I find myself taking pictures of social inequity, pollution and other not-so beautiful stuff. I believe strongly in the social role of the artist and want to express myself that way. This is why this gallery is second in my list, because I go there all the time in search of inspiration and to find other people that share my interests and passion. Besides that, curatorship is always flawless and temporary shows super interesting.
3
In Camera
This is a great place for those of us who think that photography is a form of poetry and that every snap tells a story. Whether it is Humanism that you like or even worldly-renown photographers, there is material that will blow your mind. You will very likely find some previously-published snaps by contemporary and modern photograph-artists, but the setting and curatorship won´t cease to amaze you. Is like visiting the upcoming Pop Art Exhibition in which you know every artist and piece but learn a lot too. A cool feature of this place is that there are some video documentaries as well and the disposition of the photographs is always laid-out to tell the story rather than showing each of them separately.
4
Galerie VU
The first time I went to gallery VU I was with one of my best friends who is a Parisian. She is way into the art world and makes some magnificent drawings as well as taking astonishing pictures. We got to the front door and as soon as we walked in, it struck me right away: it is a gallery that is all about personalities and personas. Every wall is filled with perfectly-framed snaps that convey the message and the story of each artist. I was thrilled because that is what I had always wanted to do with my own production, to tell a story. Since the first time I repeated my visit many more and got to see some fabulous photographic art by photographers from all over the world, including African, Asian, European, and South-American. If you love photography, you will love the Galerie VU.
5
La Galerie Particuliere
This is another photo gallery that dives deep into stories presenting a layout that tells a story. I happen to love poetry and they love it too, so we get along on that point. You can see on its walls some very sought-after (for the underworld lovers, of course) pictures of ethereal countryside with no literal movement that will fill your heart with peace. There were difficult times since I got to Paris and I remember going there to just watch those big empty skies that calmed my heart and soothed my soul. There is a paintings exhibition every once in a while too and although it is a little far away, it is definitely worth the trip.
