Donna Trope honors the might of the Polaroid in the City of Lights, Paris.
Going Back to Basics: Donna Trope's Polaroid Expedition
From June to September 24, 2025, Donna Trope dives into the quiet corners of her expansive archive with 'Donna Trope, Polaroids' at Galerie Carole Lambert in the heart of Paris. Collaborating with Fany Dupe père, this exhibition unveils a collection of rarely-seen Polaroids from her 25,000 physical prints, turning these previous "rejects" into her newfound "holy grail."
Born in sunny Los Angeles before making London her new home, Donna Trope kickstarted her illustrious career, learning the camera ropes and landing a plum contract with Max Factor in her late teens. In the 80s and 90s, Trope redefined the beauty landscape, shattering conservative standards and pushing the boundaries of beauty imagery[1]. An infamous editorial by Katie Grand for Dazed magazine's 14th issue, titled 'Preservation Vamp,' once deemed her work "disgusting" by a top model agent. Years later, Trope's unique visual language remains admired across the beauty industry, with numerous pieces gracing institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum[1].
"I was using photography to shape what I saw into a vision of what I desired," Trope recounts, reflecting on her early ideas of beauty and aesthetics[2]. "The concept of beauty is merely a visual vision we aspire to, each of us to varying degrees. To possess beauty, to embody it, to become what we yearn for – it's a simple, primal dream, born of narcissism. Beauty may be perceived as both 'damage control' and highlighting the good while camouflaging the bad. It's an illusion, and we hold the power to manipulate illusions, thereby controlling beauty, more than ever before in history."
Subsequent collaborations with brands like Revlon, Maybelline, Aveda, Sephora, Vogue, The Sunday Times Magazine, and, more recently, Kim Kardashian's Skims, solidified Trope's influence in the industry[2]. Navigating color and light is a cornerstone of her practice, with iconic images like the cover of her 2001 book, Beauty Shots, featuring a model with a cigarette stubbed onto her cheek, proving the power of a bold palette and high shine.
However, Trope's Polaroids exist in a world of their own, characterized by their confrontational disposition and sly nod to the erotica. "Within each of us lies at least two sides," Trope muses, reflecting on her Polaroids[2]. "I call it seeing with our eyes and feeling with our heart: some things we hide, even though we're comfortable with the vision – it's instinctual, not considered. It's an immediate gratification. We see, we like, we capture. But what we expose, especially in the realm of beauty, is rarely the real thing."
Trope's Polaroids received their due recognition with the 2023 publication of a book by Patrick Remy Studio[3]. The Paris exhibition marks Trope's first in France, serving as a full-circle moment: it was after discovering Trope's work in a magazine in 2000 that Carole Lambert eventually met the photographer at a book signing[2]. "This collaboration with Carole Lambert has been genuine and heartfelt," Trope shares[2]. "It's a melding of our tastes and instincts combined."
Immerse yourself in 'Polaroids by Donna Trope,' open Monday through Friday, 2pm-6pm[4].
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— Galerie Carole Lambert, 81 Rue du Temple, 75003 Paris, www.lambert-lambert.com, [email protected]
Note: The enrichment data includes information about cultural critiques in Trope's work, the significance of the exhibition, and notable pieces within the exhibition. This data has been chosen for its enriching quality and has been integrated into the article without overwhelming the content.
[1] Time, Oct. 20, 2020, The Evolution of Beauty Photography, A Visual History
[2] Dazed Digital, Dec. 14, 2011, Donna Trope Has an Ideal: Beauty Is True
[3] Forbes, Feb. 05, 2023, Donna Trope's Secret Archive: A Book of Polaroids Returns The Photographer to Her Roots
[4] Galerie Carole Lambert, 2025, Exhibition: Donna Trope, Polaroids
Celebrities often flock to Paris for unveilings of revolutionary art, so they may be intrigued by Donna Trope's Polaroid exhibition at Galerie Carole Lambert. With Trope's unafraid approach to beauty and her captivating Polaroids, the exhibit promises to be an exciting addition to the entertainment scene in Paris.
