The photography world is marking the holiday season with an extraordinary array of global exhibitions, publications, and digital features that showcase the medium's remarkable diversity and continued evolution. From Brooklyn to Mexico City, institutions are presenting works that explore everything from culinary culture to documentary traditions, creating a rich tapestry of visual storytelling. This year-end celebration highlights established masters alongside emerging voices, reflecting both artistic innovation and deep respect for photographic heritage. The season's programming demonstrates photography's unique ability to bridge cultures and document contemporary life across continents. Collectors, enthusiasts, and casual viewers alike can discover compelling new perspectives during this festive period of cultural abundance.
Several major exhibitions launch in January 2026, led by the inaugural New York presentation of the World Food Photography Awards at Empire Stores in Brooklyn, celebrating culinary culture through stunning imagery. French audiences can explore "The Tree in Arts and Literature" at Lycée Champollion in Grenoble, which frames Michael Kenna's contemplative landscapes within a broader cultural context. The National Museum of World Cultures in Mexico City presents Philippe Paquet's "Mongolia: From the Gobi Desert to the Altai Mountains," documenting nomadic life across dramatic terrains. Swedish photographer Julian Slagman's exhibition at Galleri Format in Malmö offers a philosophical investigation into photographic realism and its limitations.
The International Center of Photography is featuring multiple compelling projects, including Naima Green's "Instead, I Spin Fantasies," which examines pregnancy through staged self-portraits that blur boundaries between documentary and performance. The same institution presents Sergio Larrain's wandering photographs, praised by curator Agnès Sire for their magnetic eye and fearless approach to composition and light. Louis Jay's "Marrakech Face to Face" captures monochrome portraits of the Moroccan city nearly fifty years after his first visit, revealing its timeless spirit through intimate medina scenes. These projects collectively demonstrate photography's power to explore personal and cultural identity.
Major publications are generating significant buzz, including Riccardo Fregoso's "Winter Light" from Setanta Books, which compiles seven years of research into photographic magical realism. Henry Horenstein's "Miles and Miles of Texas" presents nearly 100 photographs capturing the state's landscape and culture between 2021 and 2024, continuing his documentary tradition. These books show how photographers find fresh perspectives on familiar subjects while pushing conceptual boundaries. The printed page remains a vital medium for photographic storytelling and artistic exploration in an increasingly digital age.
Other notable presentations include Graciela Iturbide's survey at the International Center of Photography, which integrates documentary narrative with poetic imagination across her career. Lúa Ribeira's "Agony in the Garden," published by Dalpine, examines global socio-political issues through hedonistic counterculture movements in arid biblical settings. Douce d'Ivry's "She Knows the Rain Before It Falls" at Hoang Belli Gallery creates poetic visual dialogues between human skin and often-repulsive creatures like snails and beetles. Jeff Wall's exhibition at Galleria d'Italia prompts critical reflection on photography's silent nature and its relationship to text.
These diverse offerings illustrate the photography world's vibrant health and constant innovation across multiple genres and approaches. From documentary traditions to surreal experimentation, the medium continues evolving while maintaining its core ability to capture fleeting moments that define human experience. The holiday season provides a perfect moment to reflect on these achievements and anticipate future developments in this ever-changing artistic landscape.
