Tina Modotti: the retrospective photo exhibition at the Jeu de Paume - our photos

Tina Modotti, artist and photographer, lived an eventful and romantic life around the world, marked by the major events of the 20th century. She unveils her work in a photo exhibition at the Jeu de Paume from February 13 to May 26, 2024. This retrospective brings together original photographs and negatives, tracing the career and life of this revolutionary artist.

Born into a poor family in Italy, and forced to work from the age of 12 to support her family, the young Tina Modotti certainly never imagined she would one day become both star and activist. Arriving on the Californian coast in her late teens, the young woman quickly set her sights onHollywood. In this artistic and modern milieu, she met numerous photographers, painters, actors, intellectuals and anarchists. It was with them that she began to take an interest in the great movements of the world, and the injustices affecting the poorest peoples.

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She also learned photography from Edward Weston. Together, they left for Mexico in the early 1920s. Portraits, staged and modern images, artistic compositions: in these early works, Tina Modotti immortalized those close to her, asserting her singular vision. In particular, she produced portraits of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

In Mexico City, intellectual and artistic circles were as fiery as the political scene: gradually detaching herself from her mentor, Tina Modotti launched herself into photojournalism, the snapshot. She wanted to capture the world and events as they unfolded, without staging. The photographer's aim is to raise awareness, to show problems and injustices, to tell the real story to as many people as possible. At a time when extremist parties are coming to power in many parts of the world, this is a project that is not well received by local and international authorities.

Photographs, magazines, negatives: the Jeu de Paume has brought together an astonishing array of works from numerous international museums and private collections. The exhibition brings to life the work and commitment of an artist who left her mark on her era. Let's go and discover this photo exhibition!