OFFSCREEN Paris 2025: Reframing Moving Images at the Heart of a Former Parisian Psychiatric Chapel
OFFSCREEN Paris 2025, curated by Julien Frydman, returns to a historically charged venue to challenge conventions around moving images, installation art, and the boundaries between cinema, gallery, and performance. Running from October 21–26, 2025, the fourth edition positions La Chapelle Saint‑Louis de la Salpêtrière as a site where history, memory, and contemporary visual culture intersect in provocative ways. The organizers emphasize that OFFSCREEN is not a traditional “video art fair” but a curated salon of installations and time-based media that invites visitors to experience time, space, and perception in novel combinations.
Concept and Curation: A Salon, Not a Fair
Julien Frydman’s vision for OFFSCREEN has always been to eschew rigid categorization. The 2025 edition cements this stance by presenting an immersive program organized around installations that blend still and moving images with sculpture, sound, and performance. The intent is to foster encounters between artists working across media, from documentary to experimental film, video art, and participatory installations. This edition’s curatorial emphasis reflects Frydman’s broader career arc—spanning Magnum Photos, Paris Photo, Fondation Luma, and Delpire publishing—where he has consistently championed interdisciplinary practice and the breakdown of disciplinary silos [OFFSCREEN Paris site, About page; Artist interviews].
The Venue: A History Reimagined
The Salpêtrière site—long associated with medical and social histories—offers a charged backdrop for contemporary art. Historically, the building has been a hospital and a site of archival memory, which amplifies the dialogue between contemporary artists and the historical operations of institutions. The choice of venue invites visitors to reflect on how spaces of care, confinement, and discovery shape our reception of visual culture. The setting aligns with OFFSCREEN’s interest in “haunting” venues that transform the way audiences perceive moving images [OFFSCREEN Paris official materials; venue history references].
Artists and Works: A Mosaic of Media
The 2025 program features a diverse slate of artists working with video, film, photography, installation, and sculpture. Highlights include:
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Immersive installations that pair archival footage with generative imagery, inviting viewers to inhabit time as a material in the work itself.
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Experimental films screened in site-specific rooms that reveal how architectural spaces influence cinematic narration.
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Contemporary artists who blend documentary practice with fictional storytelling to interrogate memory, identity, and social history.
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Performative elements that reframe spectators as participants, blurring the line between observer and co-creator.
This year’s selection continues OFFSCREEN’s tradition of presenting both established figures and emerging voices, reflecting Frydman’s track record of curating plural, boundary-pushing programs. The emphasis remains on artworks that demand active engagement and time-based contemplation rather than passive viewing.
Education, Public Programs, and Access
OFFSCREEN 2025 expands its outreach with artist talks, curator-led tours, and live performances designed to demystify experimental media for broader audiences. The organizers emphasize accessibility, with carefully timed programming to accommodate families and students, and a robust online viewing room that complements the physical installations. This approach mirrors Frydman’s background—spanning Magnum, Paris Photo, and Fondation Luma—in fostering dialogue between artists, institutions, and the public [OFFSCREEN Paris communications; interview materials].
Image Sources
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Official OFFSCREEN Paris event visuals and press images: Courtesy OFFSCREEN Paris
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Promotional material featuring Frydman’s public statements: Courtesy OFFSCREEN Paris press releases
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Archival material related to the Salpêtrière site: Public archives and museum collections
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FAQ
Q: What is OFFSCREEN Paris?
A: An art salon in Paris curated by Julien Frydman that foregrounds installations and moving-image works, aiming to blur the lines between cinema, contemporary art, and performance.
Q: When is OFFSCREEN Paris 2025?
A: October 21–26, 2025.
Q: Why is the Salpêtrière site significant for this edition?
A: The venue’s historical associations with science and social history add a layer of memory and critique to the presented works, enriching the dialogue around moving images and space.
Q: Who is Julien Frydman?
A: A prominent figure in the arts with leadership roles at Magnum Photos, Paris Photo, Fondation Luma, and Delpire publishing, known for cross-disciplinary curatorial practice.
Q: How does OFFSCREEN differ from a traditional video art fair?
A: It emphasizes a salon format, site-specific installations, and a curated, immersive experience rather than commercial booth-based presentation.