Fotografiska - Berlin

I just read that Fotografiska, the global hub for photography with venues in major cities, is opening a new one in Shenzhen. It reminded me of my visit to their Berlin location last year, which left a lasting impression on me.

The place is huge, carrying that incredible Berlin alternative vibe. Before even stepping into the first exhibition, I was stopped in my tracks by the graffiti-covered stairs.

Stairs

I remember calling home that very evening to suggest, half-jokingly, that we should invite graffiti artists to take over the majestic 18th-century staircase of our own building. I'm not sure the Bâtiments de France (the French heritage board) would be on board with that, though!

The exhibitions themselves were a true masterclass in curation. Two drastically different shows stood out to me.

One was Lebohang Kganye’s work, which brilliantly rethought how photography occupies physical space. Instead of conventional framed prints on a wall, her photographic archives were transformed into life-size 2D cutouts, staged as theatrical dioramas. The curatorial choice to precisely light these flat silhouettes created a startlingly immersive display, where the projected shadows became an integral part of the narrative. As visitors strolled through the various scenes to the point of themselves becoming part of the images, it completely blurred the line between photography, sculpture, and stage design. 

Lebohang Kganye

Lebohang Kganye

The other was a striking retrospective of Shepard Fairey (Obey). Here, the curation relied entirely on darkness, density, and contrast. Let’s be honest: displayed under flat, standard museum lighting, an endless sequence of identical-sized frames would have quickly felt repetitive, if not downright dull. Instead, the scenography turned that potential weakness into strength. By plunging the galleries into deep gloom and using pinpoint illumination, each stark white frame emerged dramatically from the shadows, making his signature saturated reds and yellows literally explode. It was a sharp reminder that lighting isn't just a technical utility:  is the very tool that rescues a uniform lineup of street prints and elevates it into a tense, commanding museum experience.

Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey

As we finalize the walls and lighting for Galerie Bokeh this month, I can’t help seeing the irony of having these memories fueling the vision for our own space.

Nothing is further from artsy, edgy Berlin visited on a cold autumn night than our Tarascon historic preservation project combined with filtering and sculpting the Provence sunrays.

But the ambition is there: to immerse our future visitors in a unique visual experience that is entirely focused on presenting great photographers in the best environment to support their artistic vision.

And you know what? I think Lebohang Kganye’s exhibition would look amazing against those old stones.