Agnès Varda’s Photographic Tributes to Queer Paris
Agnès Varda, a name synonymous with eccentric creativity and cinematic innovation, has once again captured the art world’s attention through an exhibition at the Musée Carnavalet entitled “Agnès Varda’s Paris, from here to there.” This exhibition offers a glimpse into the multifaceted career of Varda, an artist celebrated for her unconventional approach to storytelling and her pioneering influence in the French New Wave cinema.
Born in 1928, Varda’s artistic trajectory was marked by curiosity and a penchant for blending reality with fiction, which is evident in her various works that continue to captivate audiences worldwide. This exhibition, running until August 24, showcases 130 photographic prints, film excerpts, and personal memorabilia, each piece revealing Varda’s ability to transform the mundane into something extraordinary.
Varda’s work encapsulates her love for performance and disguise, evident through her eclectic body of work brimming with whimsical visuals and rebellious spirit. Known for her idiosyncratic fashion choices and playful personality, Varda’s self-invented persona is vividly captured through the exhibition’s diverse photographic displays.
One intriguing aspect of Varda’s life explored in the exhibition is her relationship with Valentine Schlegel, a French sculptor and ceramist. The two shared a creative partnership and living space during the early 1950s in Paris, transforming two neglected boutiques into vibrant centers of artistic exploration. Varda’s early photographic series featuring Schlegel hints at their shared commitment to experimenting with gender expressions and subverting traditional artistic norms.
The exhibition also offers a powerful commentary on the queer undertones of Varda’s social circle during a notoriously homophobic period in French history. Intriguingly, Varda’s personal and professional life was deeply entangled with individuals who defied societal conventions, adding a rich layer of context to her artistic legacy.
Varda’s marriage to the celebrated filmmaker Jacques Demy, whose bisexuality became public knowledge later in his life, underscores the couple’s profound commitment to advancing progressive narratives in the cinematic sphere. Through collaborations and juggernaut film creations, Varda’s impact on feminist and queer discourses within the art community remains profound.
Fans of her acclaimed films — such as “Cléo from 5 to 7” and the feminist-inspired “One Sings, the Other Doesn’t” — will find delight in the exhibition’s nuanced exploration of Varda’s queer influences and collaborative spirit, extending beyond the constraints of the screen to reverberate profoundly within 20th-century artistic circles.
Curated by Valérie Guillaume and Anne de Mondenard, “Agnès Varda’s Paris, from here to there” is not merely an exhibition but a celebration of Varda’s indomitable spirit and lasting legacy, which continue to inspire generations of filmmakers and artists to march unapologetically to the beat of their own drums.