PARIS.- Following its 2016 exhibition where it showed the recent, digital, large format color works of Ralph Gibson, Galerie Thierry Bigaignon once more indulges its ever-growing collector base as it chose to unveil another side of its legendary artist: his lesser-known talent for music and his guitar prowess. Celebrated as a Master photographer since he invented a new photography language in the 1970s, Ralph Gibson’s double virtuosity is being honored for the first time in his career.

The exhibition gives an unprecedented opportunity to revisit 15 of Gibson’s most iconic photographs in a totally unique way. These images, carefully selected by the artist and the gallerist, were shot between 1968 and 1990. Each photograph comes as a fine silver gelatin print and is accompanied by a musical piece which was specifically composed, played and recorded by the artist for this exhibit.

The ears don’t have eye-lids!
Thierry Bigaignon who was lucky enough to spend much time alongside Ralph Gibson in his New York studio soon understood that music was holding a huge part in Gibson’s life and has being doing so for the last 70 years or so! Ralph Gibson comments: "Music is a universal language. All art strives to be music. Closing your eyes will turn any photograph in an abstract souvenir. Music is different. It cannot be ignored. The ears don’t have eyelids! ». And Thierry Bigaignon adds: "Henri Cartier-Bresson once said to photograph is to put on the same line of sight the head, the eye and the heart. By combining music to photography, Ralph carries on that line towards the soul."

Rare and innovative collection pieces!
A very special care was given to the object itself which is being exhibited from March 17th. Each of these pristine black & white silver gelatin prints come in an edition of 3. Provided in a special format, they all show at their verso a hand-written and signed musical score by the artist. And the gallery uses for the first-time an in-house innovative frame that integrates an NFC chip allowing the collector to stream the music of each photograph on a smartphone while viewing it. For Thierry Bigaignon: "To musically illustrate these magnificent photographs offers us yet another opportunity to present rare collection pieces and to showcase innovations which we think will make history. It is our gift to collectors, and photography enthusiasts alike, who have followed and admired for decades the immense body of work of this legendary artist."

A very personal masterclass
As an opportunity to expand one’s visual horizons under the guidance of one of the great masters in contemporary photography, Ralph Gibson will hold a masterclass on Sunday 18 March, 2018. A personal and private tour of the "Vu, Imprévu" exhibition, will lead to a conversation about his approach to image-making and his development as an artist. A wide range of topics will be covered during this once-day masterclass. The session will end with a condensed portfolio review.