Photo : Tom Hallgren, "TVILLING", 2025
Exhibition: An Act of Attention
Seven photographers from the emerging French and Swedish scenes will have participated in a workshop with Sophie Ristelhueber, winner of the 2025 Hasselblad Award, before being brought together in this exhibition hall. A space where fragments of the shared world are put on display.
Institut Suédois (Paris 3rd)
About
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 desire: to reveal something authentic, anchored in reality—an experience, a presence, a fragment of the observed world. Their varied 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 artist, through their own language, directs their gaze toward human, intimate, or collective realities. Together, their works create a space of resonance where narratives intersect, respond to one another, and enrich each other.
Beyond the meeting of works in the exhibition space, the project places essential importance on exchanges between the artists. Brought together for four days at the Swedish Institute, they will have previously participated in a workshop conceived 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 of experimentation where practices confront, transform, and renew themselves.
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.
Curators: Anna Danielsson (Swedish Institute) and Stefan Jensen (Hasselblad Foundation)
In collaboration with the Hasselblad Foundation.
As part of the Bicentenary of photography, Paris Photo, and Photo Days.
Acknowledgments to the Embassy of Sweden in France. In partnership with the Hasselblad Foundation.
Special thanks to the friends and benefactors of the Swedish Institute for their generous support.
Practical information
Free admission without reservation
Our take on this event
Forget the usual snapshots and let these seven international artists challenge your perspective on reality. This bold exhibition goes beyond traditional photography by blending the medium with sculpture and immersive installations. It is a brilliant opportunity to see how different creative minds capture the raw authenticity of human life.
The Swedish Institute, located in Paris’ 3rd arrondissement, hosts the exhibition An Act of Attention from November 11, 2026, to February 21, 2027. This showcase features works by seven contemporary artists from France and Sweden, examining the materiality of photography through various mediums including sculpture and installation. These artists share a common interest in observing intimate and collective human realities, presenting the results of their collective research led by photographer Sophie Ristelhueber. This exhibition offers free access to all visitors with no prior reservation required, providing an opportunity to engage with international contemporary perspectives on the photographic medium.
Co-organized with the Hasselblad Foundation, An Act of Attention brings together seven artists to explore the boundaries of photography. The exhibition features the work of Marguerite Bornhauser, Theo Elias, Tom Hallgren, Salad Hilowle, Massao Mascaro, Iris Millot, and Ela Polkowska. Beyond traditional photography, these creators investigate how images function as physical objects, incorporating elements of installation and sculpture to capture authentic human experiences.
The project highlights a collaborative process, as the artists spent four days in a workshop led by 2025 Hasselblad Award winner Sophie Ristelhueber. This period of reflection and experimentation serves as the foundation for the displayed works, which intersect and dialogue within the gallery space. The exhibition is part of the Bicentenary of Photography, Paris Photo, and Photo Days events.
Visit the exhibition at the Swedish Institute, 11 rue Payenne, 75003 Paris. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00 to 19:00. Admission is free, and no reservations are necessary to attend.
