Exhibition explores image and memory

"Parallax," an exhibition featuring Canadian artist Stan Douglas, explores the powers of the image and the narratives that shape collective memory. It is currently on display at the Jeu de Paume in Paris.

Key works span decades of Douglas’s career

The exhibition brings together several decades of Douglas's research and includes key works such as Overture (1986), Abbott & Cordova, 7 August 1971 (2008), The Secret Agent (2015), and a recent remake of D.W. Griffith's 1915 film Birth of a Nation (2025).

Exhibition title draws from scientific concept

The title of the exhibition draws from the concept of "parallax" in optics and astronomy, referring to the apparent displacement of an object when the viewpoint of the observer changes. This metaphor is used to approach a multifaceted practice combining photography, cinema, and video that continuously alters perspectives.

Exhibition frames history as a constellation

The exhibition presents a method of dialogue between key works, reaffirming Douglas's approach to history as a "constellation" in the Adornian sense: a space of thought where different temporalities coexist. The artist proceeds by condensation and reenactment, actualizing past events to reveal unresolved issues in the present.

Exhibition criticized for excessive polish

However, despite the conceptual power of the proposal and the intelligence of the transfer operations, the exhibition suffers from an excess of mastery. The works are presented in a softly darkened environment, sometimes appearing like too smooth devices, almost disembodied.

Perfection risks losing complexity

In making every single accessory from scratch to achieve a paradoxical "quality of nature," the image loses its intrinsic complexity and becomes a pure demonstration of studio craftsmanship. The work of archivist and stage director disappears under a finish so perfect that it begins to suffocate accident, doubt, or the complexity of reality.

Exhibition runs through early 2027

The exhibition runs at the Jeu de Paume, Paris, until January 10, 2027.