La Galerie Rouge is presenting "Regards au Coeur du Panama" (Views from the Heart of Panama), marking the first solo exhibition in France by renowned Panamanian photographer Sandra Eleta. The exhibition offers French audiences their first comprehensive look at the work of an artist who has spent decades documenting her homeland through her distinctive photographic lens.
Sandra Eleta has devoted her entire career to illuminating the essence of Panama, capturing the country's spirit and people from the 1970s through the present day. Her extensive body of work spans nearly five decades, providing a unique visual chronicle of Panamanian life and culture during a period of significant social and political transformation.
Reflecting on her artistic mission, Eleta explains her deeply personal approach to photography. "The goal of any creative adventure is to communicate and share," she writes. "My work is the result of my life experiences; it has nothing to do with a study of society or any form of complacency. It probably includes a sociological approach, but my emotional investment in Portobelo is so strong that all I can say is that only my heart rules."
The photographer's special connection to Portobelo, a historic coastal town in Panama known for its colonial architecture and Afro-Caribbean culture, is particularly evident in her work. Her emotional investment in this community has produced some of her most compelling and intimate photographs, showcasing the daily lives, traditions, and resilience of its residents.
The exhibition "Sandra Eleta: Regards au Coeur du Panama" will run until December 6, 2025, at La Galerie Rouge, located at 3 rue du Pont Louis-Philippe in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and visitors can contact the gallery at 01 42 77 38 24 or visit their website at https://lagalerierouge.paris/ for additional information about the exhibition and related programming.
