Paris Photo 2025

 

Tamas Dezsö examines the relationship between the human and the nonhuman world, with a particular focus on vegetal existence and the problematization of human self-conception. He responds to the radical questions of the Anthropocene, employing a theoretical grounding and a sensitive use of materials. His photographs, sculptures, and installations do not represent but create relationships. A forest millions of years old, unknown forms of microscopic plant sections, and grand images of alpine ground vegetation all evoke the silent presence of the nonhuman world and explore the limits of human perception. Dezsö’s works gradually dissolve the privileged position and experience of the human being; thus, his photographs are not reflections of nature, but a tangible proximity to it – a recognition of shared materiality and ontological interdependence. This year, alongside his most recent works, we will also showcase the artist’s iconic documentary series, which in 2015 was also published in English in book form under the title Notes for an Epilogue – published by Hatje Cantz.

The series is the result of nearly five years of work, realized in collaboration with Eszter Szablyár, who wrote the accompanying texts for the book. It explores the complexity of Eastern European cultural and social identity and the legacy of the Ceaușescu dictatorship, while going beyond site-specific documentation: the images form a visual imprint of a broader interpretation of post-communist existence. Traveling through Romanian towns and villages, Dezsö captures the beauty of nature, abandoned industrial landscapes, traditions, and social fault lines — his images function both as documents and lyrical reflections. Alongside the iconic photographs of the documentary series, we will also present Dezsö’s seasons-themed diptych series: Tout se met à flotter (Autumn, 2024), Tout se met à flotter (Winter, 2024), and the latest piece in the series, Tout se met à flotter (Spring, 2025) — created earlier this year in Tyrol.