Faces of our time
60 people shaping contemporary photography
- Maurice de Mauriac watchesSponsor of this material
A watch measures time. A photograph gives it lasting form. Behind the images that define an era are the people who help decide what we see, what we value, and what we remember.
Created with the support of Maurice de Mauriac, this selection brings together 60 of the most influential figures in contemporary photography—from curators and gallerists to collectors, editors, and other leading specialists. Through the work they create, champion, exhibit, publish, and preserve, they shape photography’s present and its future.
This list is a guide to understanding that influence. It introduces the people behind the exhibitions, collections, publications, and ideas that bring photography into public view—and explores why their decisions matter.
Inspired by the 60 minute markers on a watch dial, each position represents one person. As you move through their stories, the hand advances, tracing a collective portrait of the people shaping how our time will be seen and remembered.
Presented in partnership with Maurice de Mauriac.
Created with the support of Maurice de Mauriac, this selection brings together 60 of the most influential figures in contemporary photography—from curators and gallerists to collectors, editors, and other leading specialists. Through the work they create, champion, exhibit, publish, and preserve, they shape photography’s present and its future.
This list is a guide to understanding that influence. It introduces the people behind the exhibitions, collections, publications, and ideas that bring photography into public view—and explores why their decisions matter.
Inspired by the 60 minute markers on a watch dial, each position represents one person. As you move through their stories, the hand advances, tracing a collective portrait of the people shaping how our time will be seen and remembered.
Presented in partnership with Maurice de Mauriac.
David Zwirner’s relevance to photography comes from his broader influence on contemporary art. His international gallery provides artists with exhibition opportunities, publishing support, and access to collectors. Within this context, photography participates in a wider artistic conversation, benefiting from the visibility and institutional connections of a major gallery network.
David Zwirner
American art dealer and gallery owner
David Zwirner’s relevance to photography comes from his broader influence on contemporary art. His international gallery provides artists with exhibition opportunities, publishing support, and access to collectors. Within this context, photography participates in a wider artistic conversation, benefiting from the visibility and institutional connections of a major gallery network.
David Zwirner
American art dealer and gallery owner
David Zwirner’s relevance to photography comes from his broader influence on contemporary art. His international gallery provides artists with exhibition opportunities, publishing support, and access to collectors. Within this context, photography participates in a wider artistic conversation, benefiting from the visibility and institutional connections of a major gallery network.
Nathalie Herschdorfer
Swiss curator and photography historian.