Michel Nuridsany's 1980 Critique of Photography's Stagnation

In a 1980 article for artpress, critic Michel Nuridsany assessed the state of photography, arguing that despite newfound institutional support—such as a dedicated section at the Biennale de Paris and a major presence at the Salon des Indépendants—the medium was creatively stagnant. He attributed this to the lingering influence of photo-clubs and a willful ignorance of contemporary art. Nuridsany praised artists like Bernard Faucon, Eva Klasson, and Christian Boltanski for pushing boundaries, but lamented that most photographers remained timid and self-satisfied. He noted that the public had grown, yet exhibitions offered little beyond reviving past glories, and the Arles festival had declined. Nuridsany called for cross-pollination between photography and painting, citing historical precedents from the 1920s when figures like László Moholy-Nagy and Man Ray freely exchanged ideas. The article was republished in December 2020 as part of an online archive series tied to the 2020-2021 dossier on the landmark exhibition "Ils se disent peintres, ils se disent photographes" (ARC/Musée d'art moderne de la Ville de Paris, 1980-1981).