Retrospective Harry Gruyaert at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris

Copyright uitgeverij Kannibaal

Belgian Magnum photographer Harry Gruyaert(Antwerp, 1941)

has been living in Paris since 1962. After his studies at the School of Film and Photography in Brussels (1959- 1962), he combined commercial work with freelance television work.

When the photographer was living in London(1970- 1972), he broke through with his TV Shots series, pictures of TV shots to criticize the medium's power to manipulate. The experimental series include images of comedy series, the Apollo flights, the Olympics, ... .

His best known work are the series Made in Belgium(1975-1990). In 1976, he was awarded with the Kodak Prize. The artist also documented his trips to Morocco, India, the USA, Middle East and Russia.

Since 1981 Gruyaert may call himself a member of Magnum Photos. From 1986 to 2001 Gruyaert engaged in taking daily pictures of his daughters growing up.

His main motive is the lonely individual in the urban landscape. His colourful magic realist images rarely show people in front view, often covering them with balloons or shadows.

His enchanting work has been shown at the Magnum Gallery in Paris(2013, 2009), the Moscow Photo Biennale(2012), the Photography Museum in Antwerp(2000), Palais de Tokyo(1986) and Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels(1980).

The retrospective of Harry Gruyaert, curated by François Hébel, can be admired at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris until June 14th 2015. Seventy of his photos are simultaneously shown in Parisian metro stations.

Plagiarism versus parody

Throughout the history of art copying and interpretations play an important role. Artists were honoured to be copied.

Painter Luc Tuymans investigates the position of the image in society. He believes in authentic forging, as originality is no longer possible and he clearly sees painting as a concept. Irony and photographs are essential elements in the making of his faded oeuvre. Many of his pieces are based on self made Polaroids or Iphone photographs of photocopied pictures to neutralize their colour and make them hazy. The paintings based on these images hardly refer to reality. His renowned Der Diagnostische Blick series are based on images in a syndrome manual whilst The Secretary of State, a portrait of Condoleeza Rice, was also based on a photograph.

Controversy arose on A Belgian politician, which symbolizes and parodies politics' decay of power. As always, Tuymans used an adapted picture as a basis for the piece, which was sold to American art collector Eric Lefkofsky. Tuymans' parodied interpretation shows authentic additions and vale colours.

Photographer Katrijn van Giel sued Tuymans because the artwork was based upon one of her newspaper photographs of Jean-Marie Dedecker( De Standaard, 2010). The court of justice concluded the lighting and composition run parallel to the original's and sentenced the painter with a fine of 500 000 euros per reproduction. Notice of appeal has been given. The sentence led to a polarisation between the art of painting and press photography.

In 1992 Jeff Koons experienced a similar trial concerning his String of Puppies sculpture (1988, part of his Banality series), inspired by a photograph by Art Rogers. The Dutch photographer of the picture of Patrice Lumumba's widow felt honoured when Marlene Dumas based her piece The Widow on it.

A clear distinction between plagiarism, interpretation and derivatives should be made. It goes without saying that exact reproductions are not done. But the painterly invention of concepts is allowed to use the frozen photographical moment as a basis. Otherwise problems would arise over a photograph of an art installation, an interpretation of a poem, a sample used in a beat ...

Every artwork tells a different story, functions as a historical document, an adapted form, a personal societal reaction. Dramatic ego's easily feel threatened. Open-mindedness remains the starting point of freedom and innovation. 

Steve Mc Curry

copyright Steve Mc Curry: Sharbat Gula

After working two years for Today's Post, Steve Mc Curry(1950, Philadelphia), who studied film and literature, decided to tour South East Asia. While living in India, the photographer's portfolio grew, which soon led to orders by Newsweek and The New York Times.

The New York citizen soon won the Robert Capa Gold medal.

During the nineteen eighties National Geographic assigned the photographer to go to Pakistan for two months, where he stayed four months longer. While working for National Geographic, Mc Curry switched to colour photography. The Magnum member(1986) is principally known for his award winning World Press Photo of Afghan refugee girl Sharbat Gula(1984, on cover in 1985), whom he photographed again seventeen years later.

Eight employees assist the artist in his two Philadelphia and three New York studios, his business is managed by his sister. In 2013 his creations were shown in Siena, in 2014 he was asked for the Lavazza calender.

Joseph Koudelka, Albert Watson, Don MC Cullin, James Nachtwey and Elliott Erwitt, the latter being the main reason for wanting to work for Magnum, are Mc Curry’s main icons. Painters Rembrandt and Caravaggio are other stated inspirations. His dear friends Henri Cartier-Bresson and Erwitt taught him to look. The artist also knew and admired Elliott, Eve Arnold, René Burri and Bruno Barbey.

His travels taught him what he needed to know about people, his photographs reflect the things that move him. Each and every one of us desires the same thing: to be respected.