Photo : Nanténé Traoré
Nanténé Traoré — Wonderland
Step into a dreamlike rendition of the coast through a series of photographs captured on expired film that beautifully blurs the lines of memory. These haunting, ethereal images turn familiar shores into a deeply personal reflection, perfect for an afternoon of quiet introspection. Explore a vision where light and landscape merge into something entirely intimate and unforgettable.
Maison Européenne de la Photographie (Paris 4th)
About
Experience the haunting, dreamlike photography of Nanténé Traoré at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in the 4th arrondissement. Titled Pays des merveilles, this exhibition showcases silver gelatin prints from Brittany and a film from Albania, both created using expired 1990s film stock. These images feature distorted colors and ethereal landscapes that blur the lines between memory and reality. Whether you are a photography enthusiast or seeking a contemplative artistic journey, you can visit from October 2 to November 29, 2026. Tickets are priced between 0 and 13 euros, making this a accessible cultural outing in the heart of Paris.
Nanténé Traoré's return to the Breton coast, which he frequented as a child with his mother, brings back traumatic memories and marks the beginning of a period of deep depression and dissociation. Made from expired film dating back to the 1990s, the images convey this state of trouble where reality seems to slip away. The chemical alterations of the film modify the colors, blur the outlines, and produce unstable, almost ghostly visions.
In this landscape inhabited by memories, walks become a way to shift his attention to the world around him and what constitutes it: the shores, the birds, the stray dogs, or even familiar sleeping silhouettes. His gaze rests on the fragile beauty of beings and places destined for erasure.
Pierced by vaporous, blue, or orange lights, the images blur the boundaries between forms: bodies become landscapes, and landscapes become a reflection of inner states. The film extends this experience of dissolution: a fixed shot on a landscape is accompanied by the artist's inner voice, which guides us to the heart of this sensitive and memorial drift.
The exhibition brings together a new analog photographic project, created in Brittany in the summer of 2025, as well as a film shot during a residency in Albania during the summer of 2026.
Our take on this event
The Maison Européenne de la Photographie hosts a retrospective of Nanténé Traoré’s recent work, focusing on the intersection of personal memory and physical landscape. The collection stems from the artist's return to the Brittany coast, where the use of expired 1990s film creates chemically altered images. These photographs present a world where borders between bodies and environments dissolve into ghostly, vaporous light, reflecting a period of deep introspection.
The exhibition features a new photographic project captured in Brittany during the summer of 2025, alongside a film created during a 2026 residency in Albania. The film enhances this sensory experience, combining still shots of landscapes with the artist's own narrative voice. This body of work documents the fragile beauty of life, from wandering dogs to quiet coastal scenes, all facing the possibility of erasure.
Doors are open from September 30 to November 29, 2026. You can visit on Thursdays from 11:00 to 21:45, and on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11:00 to 19:45. Admission prices range from 0 to 13 euros.
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