Valerie-Anne, the daughter of former French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing, founded her first book publishing company, Compagnie12, in the 1980s. Named after her lucky number, the company went on to edit and publish hundreds of illustrated books before expanding its scope to the management of photographers’ archives under the Photo12 brand. In what seemed like a natural evolution, Galerie XII opened its doors in Paris in 2007 before moving to its current location in Le Marais in 2010. The Shanghai outpost opened in 2015 and closed in 2023. Valerie-Anne Giscard d’Estaing moved to Santa Monica, California, in 2012 where she participated to several Art Fairs and set up pop-up events before finding the perfect location for her gallery at Bergamot Station Arts Center.

Galerie XII focuses on contemporary photography. The editorial line of the gallery centers on narrative photography and strives to promote artists with a strong narrative sensibility, working on new forms of the media with a multidisciplinary approach especially at the borders with painting, sculpture and collages, in recognition of the evolution of contemporary photography reflecting the role of the digital age in increasingly blurring the distinction between photography and other visual arts.

The Gallery is a member of AIPAD (Association of International Photography Art Dealers) and CPGA (Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art).

Photo Credits: Carole Bellaiche