One of the Czech Republic's most prominent galleries recently hosted an exhibit from the largest private photography gallery in Paris, Galerie VU'. The exhibit at Prague's Langhans Gallery was prepared by Galerie VU' art director Christian Cajolle and its director Gilou Le Gruiec. Cajolle came to Prague to open the exhibit, using the occasion to present the gallery's history and its current direction. He also gave visitors a tour of the exhibit. Galerie VU' was established as an exhibit space for the agency of the same name, which was founded in 1986. Its name refers to the historical weekly magazine Libération, which was published in the 1920s and '30s and which was among the first to publish art photography at an adequate quality. The gallery occupies a large industrial space in the Marais neighbourhood near the Bastille in the centre of Paris. Besides organising regular exhibits, collecting photographic works and seeking emerging talent, the gallery also facilitates ”its“ artists' cooperation with the press, publishers, advertising agencies and cultural institutions. It generates its income by selling ”objects“, Cajolle's expression for photographic works being exhibited.
The selection of artists is not limited by any particular themes; the only criterion is the presence of a consistent and original style and above all a specific photographic vision - that is, the ability to see and capture reality in a new way. Looking at the gallery's collections, it is evident that indeed the main gauge is artistic quality. What is more, it seems to have the ability to detect emerging talent very early on. The gallery's collection includes works by Swiss photographer Gotthard Schuh (1897-1969), a legend of documentary photography who, after being temporarily forgotten, was rediscovered at the ”International Meeting of Photography“ in Arles in 1999. Besides his ability to spot intriguing compositions, Schuh is also known as the first photographer to present his works on an aluminium mat with a wooden underlay, which set them away from the wall (at his retrospective in 1967). The gallery is very particular about its exhibiting style; the preparation and exhibiting of ”objects“ is always based on an agreement between the artist and the curator. Cajolle mentioned in his presentation that interest in gallery presentation is a fairly recent development, as the method of exhibiting photography had always been viewed as something marginal and additional. Until recently, the 30x40 cm format prevailed, along with white background and a wooden frame. Another legend is Anita Conti, a French scientist whose scientific interest and her love for the sea blend with her interest in photography. Although (or possibly because) she was a total photographic amateur, it is her special vision that makes her works so intriguing. This oceanographer created her photographic works over the period of several decades, her photographs were published in the media and in books and the prices of the few original images still available have soared. The third artist featured in the selection exhibited in the basement space is the recently deceased Christer Strömholm, a representative of classic Swedish photography whose original approach to documentary photography influenced generations of (not only) Scandinavian photographers to come - among his followers is Anders Petersen, whose works were recently presented at a solo exhibit in Langhans and who is also represented in this selection. Looking at the portrait shots from Paris' Pigalle square, we come to realise that the most fascinating thing about his works is the special stubbornness with which he somehow captures extreme situations and events.(full article is available after purchasing a subscription - not available now)
The selection of artists is not limited by any particular themes; the only criterion is the presence of a consistent and original style and above all a specific photographic vision - that is, the ability to see and capture reality in a new way. Looking at the gallery's collections, it is evident that indeed the main gauge is artistic quality. What is more, it seems to have the ability to detect emerging talent very early on. The gallery's collection includes works by Swiss photographer Gotthard Schuh (1897-1969), a legend of documentary photography who, after being temporarily forgotten, was rediscovered at the ”International Meeting of Photography“ in Arles in 1999. Besides his ability to spot intriguing compositions, Schuh is also known as the first photographer to present his works on an aluminium mat with a wooden underlay, which set them away from the wall (at his retrospective in 1967). The gallery is very particular about its exhibiting style; the preparation and exhibiting of ”objects“ is always based on an agreement between the artist and the curator. Cajolle mentioned in his presentation that interest in gallery presentation is a fairly recent development, as the method of exhibiting photography had always been viewed as something marginal and additional. Until recently, the 30x40 cm format prevailed, along with white background and a wooden frame. Another legend is Anita Conti, a French scientist whose scientific interest and her love for the sea blend with her interest in photography. Although (or possibly because) she was a total photographic amateur, it is her special vision that makes her works so intriguing. This oceanographer created her photographic works over the period of several decades, her photographs were published in the media and in books and the prices of the few original images still available have soared. The third artist featured in the selection exhibited in the basement space is the recently deceased Christer Strömholm, a representative of classic Swedish photography whose original approach to documentary photography influenced generations of (not only) Scandinavian photographers to come - among his followers is Anders Petersen, whose works were recently presented at a solo exhibit in Langhans and who is also represented in this selection. Looking at the portrait shots from Paris' Pigalle square, we come to realise that the most fascinating thing about his works is the special stubbornness with which he somehow captures extreme situations and events.(full article is available after purchasing a subscription - not available now)