POLKA is pleased to present a selection of its archives. The exhibition "In Search of Elsewhere" gives voice to one of the great contemporary colorists and questions the border between photojournalism and art: when does a photographic document become a work?

The exhibition delves into the work of the American photographer and revisits his greatest successes – some, such as the portrait of the green-eyed Afghan with the status of icons – but also some unpublished images, all commented on by the artist. Each photo has its story and Steve McCurry who defines himself as a "storyteller", a modern-day storyteller, is now far from the photojournalism that marked the beginning of his career. McCurry worked for the press after studying in the Department of Art and Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. He then wants to "see the world, explore new cultures" and travel with his camera. Europe, Asia and Africa… But his career began when he smuggled across the Afghan border, dressed in Pashtun, a few months before the Russian invasion of 1979. Steve McCurry produced a story that was published around the world and won the Robert Capa Gold Medal and international acclaim. Then, he will survey the fields of war but not only, striving to grasp what he calls the "human condition". His work is widely rewarded with, among other things, four first World Press Photo Awards and the Leica Hall of Fame Award. On his last trip to Afghanistan in 2016, as kidnappings of journalists increased, he was concerned for his safety. He then questions his life choices. Inspired by the Wabi Sabi, Japanese philosophy that advocates life in the moment, but also by his artistic studies and the work of light painters such as Caravaggio or Rembrandt, Steve McCurry gradually detached himself from the press and now travels exclusively for his personal practice. This freedom allows him to devote himself to his artistic vision. "In recent years, I have had to define which category of photographer I fall into: I am a visual storyteller. A poet, not with words, but in pictures. What makes me free to do what I want with my images, in terms of aesthetics and composition. [… An artist has to find the stories that excite him, personally, go where it tickles him, where he wants to dig." Steve McCurry.