Lee Miller en grand angle
The Musée d'Art moderne de Paris (MAM) has opened a major retrospective of photographer Lee Miller (1907-1977), featuring nearly 250 prints—many vintage and previously unseen. The exhibition originated at Tate Britain, where it drew over 250,000 visitors, and was co-organized with MAM and the Art Institute of Chicago. Curated by Michal Goldschmidt (former Tate Britain curator) and Fanny Schulmann of MAM, with new research led by Hilary Floe, the show emphasizes Miller's ties to Paris, her technical mastery, and her wartime reporting, including contact sheets from Dachau and Buchenwald never before shown in France.
This retrospective matters because it is the most comprehensive ever devoted to Lee Miller in France, surpassing the 2008-2009 Jeu de Paume show in scale and depth. By highlighting Miller's writing and her nuanced engagement with surrealism, documentary, and political commitment, the exhibition reframes her legacy beyond her association with Man Ray. The active role of the Lee Miller Archives, founded by her son Antony Penrose, ensures continued scholarly and public interest in her work, which also inspired a forthcoming film by Ellen Kuras starring Kate Winslet.