This Thursday, a preview visit of the “Miniatures” exhibition by Pentti Sammallahti took place at the Nice Museum of Photography. An event attended by Robert Roux, Delegate for Culture, André Santelli, General Director of Culture and Heritage, Stéphane Tallon, Site Manager, and Ingrid Farrugia, Deputy Director of the Beau Rivage Hotel.
From September 18, 2020, to January 24, 2021, the Museum of Photography is hosting the work of photographer Pentti Sammallahti. 122 of his prints are on display, in small format and in black and white. An exhibition organized in collaboration with diChroma photography, with the support of the Beau Rivage Hotel.
Capturing the Present Moment
These are silver gelatin prints of “vast deserts of the White Sea in Solovski, Russia, to the dense forests of Central Europe inhabited by improbable animals, and to the ends of the Earth,” according to the Museum’s explanations. Through several themes, such as nature, Pentti Sammallahti does not seek to construct these images, he “receives” them, then transmits the beauty of the present moment through these photos. Animals, scenes of life, landscapes, or portraits, each of these images tells a story, in a poetic or humorous way. Many panoramics are also present, with Pentti Sammallahti being “one of the undisputed masters,” notes Stéphane Tallon.
A Nice Nod
A whole section of the exhibition is dedicated to a photographic series taken in Nice. Various places in the city can be observed, such as the promenade or from the top of the castle. This series was created in 1997, as part of a commission during the September photo festival.
Pentti Sammallahti, at the Heart of Photography
Originally from Finland, the artist has exhibited his work worldwide. Photography is a family story for him, as he is the great-grandson of Hilldur Larsson, one of the first female photographers in Finland. As a result, he approached this technique from a young age. At nine years old, his father gave him his first camera. He quickly exhibited his work and, at the age of 24, became a photography teacher at Lait Art School and at the Higher School of Arts and Design in Helsinki.
