Les grands âges

At the Musée de l’Homme, “Les grands âges” is a photographic exhibition about aging. The portraits and street scenes by Nikos Aliagas meet the research of biodemographer Samuel Pavard. The parcours thus moves from the singular experiences of aging to questions that concern society as a whole, such as the place it accords to its elders.

In Not Seen, Not Taken, a woman seated at a table makes a gesture toward the photographer while a man trains his own camera on him. The scene captures an exchange of looks and gestures between the people photographed and the observer. It provides a starting point for an exhibition that is as concerned with intergenerational links as with the faces on which time has left its mark.

The perspective shifts in scale with Samuel Pavard’s research. The comparison with other species helps situate human longevity, while the increasing number of centenarians invites us to question what old age means today. The photographs keep these questions centered on people and their daily lives.

Practical information
- Closed on Tuesdays, as well as on December 25 and January 1.
- The exhibition is included with the museum admission.