Martine Franck a great elegant and shy lady are the words most often used in the many tributes written about her and yet .
I remember a summer day in New York in the early 80’s end of june beginning of july probably around the time of a Magnum meeting; We shared the beautiful loft of Mary Ellen Mark in Soho whose book Falkland Road had just been published. It was a really hot day, the loft windows were opened on the street and we had a slight breeze The three of us dressed in T-shirt and bare legged had the breakfast for which Martine had done the shopping, coffee and chocolate chip cookies, Martine was like a child she enjoyed that unusual moment we laughed a lot and promessed never to tell Henri her husband .a privilege occasion of return to childhood, an instant of women complicity.Martine then had no timidity it was an instant of lightness, free of any constraint.
This time bubble I want to share it to show an other person very human, warm and funny.
Of course there is the talent, the ideas, the feeling of responsibility, but behind the often austere image. There was a very concerned woman when she asked how are you? she insisted on the you, waiting for answer it was not a politeness formula it was real interest in the person she was talking to.
My last strong image of Martine a long, fine , barefooted silhouette in the courtyard of Jama Masjid the great Mosque of New Delhi against the the Red Fort .
Sylvie Rebbot
