LES RENCONTRES d’ARLES 2024: A VISUAL FEAST – LENSCRATCH

This year’s theme, “Beneath the Surface” is a deeper probe of a number of underlying themes with a particular emphasis on the creativity and often under-representation of women photographers.  The first major retrospective of Mary Ellen Mark since her death in 2015 presents a vast array of images reflecting the intense curiosity that defines her work. One can peruse her contact sheets as the exhibition follows her career through five distinct projects.  Whether photographing the homeless or twins in many sizes and shapes, her images are always compelling in their honesty and compassion.