Broad Horizons

The 2006 edition of the Paris Month of Photography is clearly determined to be as wide-reaching as possible. Its organizers have put together an offering that is panoramic in its scope, ranging from pictures of Parisians taken during the Commune to the work of Xavier Lambours, and from Russian photomontages to Roman Vishniac's photographic records of long-vanished Jewish communities.

The Month of Photography is no longer just about discovering new talent, fostering cultural diversity, or exploring little-known chapters in the history of photography. Quality exhibitions, original installations, film screenings and panel discussions have long been its stock-in-trade. Now, largely thanks to the Paris Mayor's keen determination, all this forms part of an ongoing dialogue with other major cities, forming a Europe-wide cultural environment in which photography continues to play a pioneering role.

This has emerged against the backdrop of major transformations in society that hint at the form images will take in the coming years. The role of photography and the way it evolves will inevitably shape our future, stimulating critical thought and raising important existential questions that will determine the choices we make.

The exhibition entitled "Mutations" (which in French means "profound changes") features photographs originating from seven European capitals. It is a major event in which participating cities reveal their individual cultural identity and creative potential, whilst at the same time providing an insight into their common roots and shared heritage. This conceptual dialogue and spirit of exchange finds an echo in the collective unconscious and in the minds of photography-lovers, via the sensual interplay that exists between the photographic images themselves.

Henry Chapier
President, Maison Européenne de la Photographie