Victoria Combalia's Critical Study on Dora Maar

Victoria Combalia, curator of the current Dora Maar exhibition at the Vieille Charité galleries in Marseille, has authored a critical study in the exhibition catalogue. The text avoids blaming Picasso for Maar's artistic trajectory, instead presenting her relationship with him as one phase in a broader biography. Combalia traces Maar's career stages, her encounters with major photographers, her liaison with Georges Bataille, friendships with Surrealists, and political engagements. The study acknowledges Maar's own role in the lack of recognition for her photographic work until recent years. Combalia's two exhibitions—one in Valencia, Spain, and the current one in Marseille—finally elevate Maar's photographic oeuvre to a prominent position. The article, written by Jacques Henric, was published in artpress in July 2002.