The exhibition Lartigue, la vie en couleurs recently opened at the Maison Européene de la Photographie in Paris. It runs through August 23rd alongside four other exhibitions, and is the subject of a book published by Seuil. Martine Ravache, co-curator of the exhibition with Martine D’Astier, shared with us her thoughts on Jacques Henri Lartigue.
“Why do we like Lartigue so much? And even more in color? Is it the “easy” seduction of a colorful palette? Its immediately sensuality? Its musicality? All of that, of course, but it’s also something else… I often say that Lartigue’s greatest talent was getting everybody to agree. The definition of happiness varies from person to person, but Lartigue is considered the ‘photographer of happiness’ almost unanimously. In reality, things are a little more complicated. Lartigue is neither smug nor a happy fool. He shows himself to be deeply torn between two contradictory currents: his amazement at life and beauty on the one hand, and his despair over his inability to prevent their disappearance. That despair is what makes him an artist, what he called his, ‘little sickness.’”
Read the full article on the French version of L’Oeil de la Photographie.
EXHIBITION
Lartigue en couleurs
From June 24th to August 23rd, 2015
La Maison Européenne de la Photographie
5/7 rue de Fourcy
75004 Paris
France
http://www.mep-fr.org
LIVRE
Lartigue en couleurs
Edition du Seuil
Martine d’Astier, Martine Ravache
168 pages
ISBN : 978-2-02-123512-8
29,90€
http://www.seuil.com
