LUCID: Damien Krisl’s Poetic Farewell to the Polaroid Era

In an age where artificial intelligence can generate entire worlds in seconds and digital images disappear as quickly as they appear, Damien Krisl chooses to slow down.The Swiss-born, Paris-based photographer and director—whose visual universe has shaped campaigns for Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford, Bulgari and Lancôme—steps away from the speed of contemporary image-making to present something remarkably intimate: a celebration of imperfection.

Opening from July 2 to 4, 2026, LUCID is more than an exhibition. It is a visual manifesto and a farewell letter to a medium that has accompanied the artist for years.

Known for his cinematic precision and highly polished commercial work, Krisl reveals a different side of his practice through a collection of Polaroids captured between 2018 and 2023. Created far from the expectations of clients and commercial briefs, these images form a deeply personal archive of backstage moments, architectural discoveries, and spontaneous encounters gathered across continents.

At the heart of LUCID lies an obsession with color. Inspired by the iconic Polaroid rainbow, the project unfolds as a chromatic journey through emotion rather than narrative. Soft cyan tones evoke dreams and exploration, earthy browns suggest grounding and belonging, while vibrant reds become symbols of passion and desire.

Drawing inspiration from the radical optimism of the 1960s and 1970s, Krisl embraces the retrofuturistic language of saturated colors, organic forms, and visionary design. Yet LUCID is far more than an exercise in nostalgia. It asks a timely question: what is lost when every image becomes infinitely reproducible?

Unlike digital photography, a Polaroid exists as a singular object. Its imperfections cannot be erased. Dust becomes a constellation, chemical reactions transform surfaces into dreamlike landscapes, and time itself becomes visible. Rather than correcting flaws, Krisl embraces them, reaffirming the presence of the artist behind the image.

The exhibition is accompanied by a limited-edition book of 500 copies, presenting the original Polaroids in their authentic format. Together, the book and exhibition mark the final chapter of the artist’s long relationship with the medium.

More than a farewell, LUCID is a reminder that photography, at its most powerful, is not about perfection. It is about presence, memory, and preserving something undeniably human in an increasingly digital world.

LUCID will be on view from July 2 to 4, 2026. Accompanying the exhibition is a limited-edition publication of 500 copies, offering collectors and photography enthusiasts a rare opportunity to experience Damien Krisl’s final Polaroid cycle in its original form.

Text: Iryna Matsepliuk

Courtesy: DAMIEN KRISL