L is for Look

Co-produced by the Institut pour la photographie—which also served as the project’s scientific director and executive producer—and Photo: Élysée in Lausanne, the exhibition L is for Look explores a little-known genre of publishing: children's photo books.

↘︎ After its first two stops in Lausanne and Essen, the exhibition L is for Look is currently on view from July 6 to October 4, 2026, at the Rencontres d’Arles at the Espace Van Gogh.

From the 1930s to the present day, these albums have captivated entire generations without ever really coming onto the radar of “large”.  In this exhibition, designed with children (and adults!) in mind, about a hundred original works, models, and interactive displays shed light on this often-overlooked genre…

Following an initial presentation in Lausanne and leading up to its presentation in the spring of 2027 in Lille by the Institut pour la photographie, L is for Look is the subject of a European tour at five partner institutions: the Museum Folkwang in Essen, The Arles Photography Festival , the National Audiovisual Center (CNA) of Luxembourg, and Photo: Arsenal Vienna. 

More information

Online Ticket Sales

↘︎ The catalog of L is for Look : Co-published with Spector Books—262 pages—Available in 3 languages (French, English, German)—Accompanies the exhibition—Available for purchase online and at the Rencontres d’Arles—Price: €59.00

More information in the catalog

↘︎ Scientific Committee: Paul Cottin, advisor to PoBoC, an association dedicated to children’s photo books - Rose Durr, Ph. D. Candidate in anthropology and the history of photography, with a CIFRe fellowship at the Institut pour la photographie - Florian Ebner, head of the Photography Department at the Centre Pompidou, Paris - Anne Lacoste, director of the Institut pour la photographie

↘︎ Executive Producer and Scientific Director: Institut pour la photographie

↘︎ Co-production: Institut pour la photographie and Photo Élysée