Sheila Metzner and Lillian Bassman Paired in Paris Exhibition

La Galerie Rouge in Paris presents "C'est Chic," a dual exhibition pairing the photographic works of Sheila Metzner and Lillian Bassman. Both photographers, born in Brooklyn, navigated male-dominated fashion photography while raising families. Metzner, contracted to Vogue from 1981 to 1989, used the Fresson printing method to achieve her painterly style. Her portraits include Uma Thurman, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Willem Dafoe, with commissions for Ralph Lauren, Fendi, and Shiseido. Bassman (1917-2012) worked as Alexey Brodovitch's assistant at Harper's Bazaar. The exhibition highlights their shared pictorial vision rooted in the darkroom. Metzner transitioned from art director at Doyle Dane Bernbach to photographer after a friend's encouragement. She spent ten years photographing family before curator John Szarkowski selected her work for MoMA's "Mirrors & Windows" show. Her print "Evyan Kinderhook Creek" was featured in The New York Times. Metzner collaborates with the Fresson family for color printing. The exhibition runs until 19 September 2026.