Michael Najjar

PARIS PHOTO 2024 Booth xx
7 – 10 November 2024

BANK proudly presents a solo exhibition by Michael Najjar (b. 1966, Germany) at Paris Photo 2024. Najjar is an internationally acclaimed artist, explorer, and future astronaut. His work spans photography, video, sculpture and writing. He is known for working closely at the intersection of art, science, and technology, dealing in complex and critical ways with the technological developments that are defining and drastically changing the early 21st century. Najjar's conceptual photography expands the possibilities of the medium, while his multidisciplinary approach fosters collaborations with scientists, researchers, and engineers.

The Paris presentation focuses on our planetary future in times of climate change and a redefinition of the relationship between humans and nature. In view of the dramatic consequences of climate change for future generations, Najjar urges a rethinking of technology, aesthetics, and culture. The presentation addresses themes like space-based Earth observation, carbon capture and storage, and biophilic architecture. Through his photography and video art, Najjar creates a conceptual space that bridges scientific knowledge with aesthetic expression, inviting viewers to contemplate how we might build a sustainable, post-destructive future.

The performative element is also central to Najjar's work. Over the past decades, he has embarked on expeditions to remote and challenging environments around the world. His artworks often originate from these field explorations, conducted in hard-to-reach, liminal locations. Najjar has summited seven-thousand-meter peaks, scaled skyscrapers, trekked across active volcanoes, glaciers, and deserts, descended into ice caves, and undergone rigorous astronaut training with the aim of becoming the first artist in space. To create his images, Najjar exposes his body to extreme experiences and tests his mental and physical limits in the context of challenging natural or technological environments. In the last 25 years, Najjar´s work has been the subject of solo and group exhibitions at prominent institutions worldwide.

Since its inception in 1997, Paris Photo has been a pivotal event on the Parisian cultural scene, bringing together leading international galleries and publishers of contemporary and modern photography annually. This year, the fair returns to the Grand Palais, a historic landmark, renowned for its elegance and architectural distinctiveness.

BANK, founded in 2013 in Shanghai as a curatorial studio, is committed to an exhibition program that engages with global contemporary art and culture, provoking discourse on cultural history, global issues, and modern perspectives. Over the years, BANK has garnered critical acclaim for its visionary programming and has exhibited works by some of the world’s most renowned artists, including Marina Abramović, Paul McCarthy, Isaac Julien, Xu Bing, Hito Steyerl, and Lu Yang.