Photo : Institut Suédois
An Act of Attention
Seven contemporary photographers are shaking up visual conventions in the heart of the Marais through a dialogue between images and sculpture. This collection captures the essence of the real, turning fleeting human experiences into profound observations. It is the perfect spot for those seeking an exhibition that feels less like a display and more like a collective creative heartbeat.
Institut suédois (Paris 3rd)
About
From November 11, 2026, to February 21, 2027, the Institut suédois presents An Act of Attention, a collective exhibition featuring seven contemporary artists from France and Sweden. This showcase explores the potential of photography through various mediums, including installations and sculptural forms that examine human reality and the materiality of the image. Open to the public with free admission in the 3rd arrondissement, this exhibition highlights the results of a collaborative research workshop led by photographer Sophie Ristelhueber. Visitors are invited to discover how these diverse perspectives on the world intersect and resonate within the gallery space.
The exhibition brings together seven contemporary artists: Marguerite Bornhauser (France), Theo Elias (Sweden), Tom Hallgren (Sweden), Salad Hilowle (Sweden), Massao Mascaro (France), Iris Millot (France), and Ela Polkowska (Sweden). Coming from diverse backgrounds and contexts, they share a common goal: to show something authentic, anchored in reality—an experience, a presence, a fragment of the observed world. Their diverse practices explore the potential of the photographic medium with a particular focus on the materiality of the image, while some also open up to expanded forms, approaching installation or sculpture.
Each, through their own language, directs their gaze toward human realities, whether intimate or collective. Together, their works compose a space of resonances where narratives intersect, respond to each other, and enrich one another.
Beyond the meeting of the works in the exhibition space, the project places essential importance on exchanges between the artists. Gathered for four days at the Institut suédois, they will have previously participated in a workshop designed as a research laboratory, led by French photographer Sophie Ristelhueber, winner of the 2025 Hasselblad Award. This time of collective work and reflection opens a space for experimentation where practices are confronted, transformed, and renewed.
Thus, the exhibition is as much about showing as it is about activating: it brings forth a network of relationships built on inspiration, collaboration, and transmission.
Our take on this event
An Act of Attention brings together the work of seven artists: Marguerite Bornhauser, Theo Elias, Tom Hallgren, Salad Hilowle, Massao Mascaro, Iris Millot, and Ela Polkowska. By exploring the nuances of the photographic medium and expanding into installation and sculpture, these creators focus on the authenticity of the observed world. Their individual languages blend to create a collective space where intimate and social narratives converge.
The project emphasizes the importance of artistic exchange. Before the exhibition, the participants engaged in a four-day workshop as a research laboratory, guided by 2025 Hasselblad Award winner Sophie Ristelhueber. This period of collective reflection fostered inspiration and professional dialogue, which is now reflected in the way the works are presented to the public.
You can visit the exhibition at the Institut suédois, located at 11, rue Payenne, 75003 Paris. The venue welcomes visitors from Wednesday, November 11, 2026, to Sunday, February 21, 2027. Opening hours are from 12:00 to 21:00 on Thursdays, and from 12:00 to 19:00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Admission is free for all.
