For the first time in the sale's nine-year history, Magnum photographers have invited a diverse group of artists, filmmakers, and fellow photographers to join them and contribute an image of their own to the upcoming Square Print Sale (April 17-23).
Joining Magnum photographers and estates are the likes of Weegee, Roger
Deakins, Alfredo Jaar, Hannah Reyes Morales, Larry Sultan, Todd Hido, Judd
Apatow, and more. By involving leading figures from the world of art and culture
more broadly, the agency seeks to explore photography - and what it means to
our society today, and into the future - from new perspectives.
''We are opening the doors and inviting our long-time friends to join
the conversation,'' Cristina de Middel, the agency's president, explains.
''The invitation is just a formality, as the photography family has always shared
a house - a house that is busy, and in constant renovation. As a family, we are
now, once again, looking at the future with more questions than answers.''
Vital Signs is the third and final part of the Then. Now. Next. triptych, organized
as part of the agency's 75th-anniversary celebrations, which began last May with
a series of events and shows around the theme 'In Dialogue.' Having already
reflected on the past and raised questions about the present, this new curation is
a look to the future - a musing on the hopes, fears, and anticipation of things to
come.
And it is no surprise that in the final of the agency's triptych, many of the selected
images focus on the next generation. Lindokuhle Sobekwa, the inaugural
recipient of the major John Kobal Foundation Fellowship, selects an image of a
young boy from Johannesburg taking a break in the fields. Even with his eyes
closed, we feel him dreaming up at the sky. Sabiha Çimen chooses an image
from her award-winning first photobook, Hafiz, of students from a girls-only
Quran school on a funfair ride. A plane flies so low over their heads, that it seems
almost within their reach.
''Photographers have built the visual chronology of who we were and who we are
today. For who we will be, the journey ahead is one that we are not ready to do
alone. It will be a long road, and for that, we need as many skilled and diverse
travelers as we can get,'' De Middel concludes.
About Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos is a co-operative of acclaimed, independent photographers who
share an ongoing commitment to documenting world events, people, places,
daily life and culture. Founded in 1947, Magnum Photos has been telling stories
of the past, defining the present, and shaping the future through photography for
over 75 years, united by its values of uncompromising excellence, truth, respect
and independence. With more than 6.6 million followers across the internet, and
a rolling program of museum shows, exhibitions, and events across the globe,
Magnum photographers continue to inspire a growing worldwide audience.
