René Burri, Explosions of Sight From January 29 to May 3, 2020 - A new retrospective of the life's work of the photographer, from the artist's ...
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René Burri, Explosions of Sight
From January 29 to May 3, 2020
A new retrospective of the life’s work of the photographer, from the artist's collection,
his personal archives and those of Magnum Photos
Elysée Lausanne Press kit
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 1/14 1/9 From January 29 to May 3, 2020 René Burri, Explosions of Sight René Burri was born in 1933 and died in 2014 in Zurich, Switzerland. Throughout his life, he was on the front line of global history. He joined Magnum Photos in 1955, becoming one of its members in 1959. Over the course of his career spanning almost sixty years, he travelled to Europe, the Middle East, North, Central and South America, Japan and China, recording with lucidity and acuity most of the momentous events of the second half of the 20th century. Numerous influential people were also captured by his lens including Picasso, Le Corbusier, Niemeyer, Barragan, Giacometti and Tinguely. In 1963, he produced his iconic portrait of “Che au cigare” (Che with Cigar), which brought him to the attention of the public. From January to May 2020, curated by Marc Donnadieu and Mélanie Bétrisey, the institution has scheduled a new retrospective of his life’s work entitled René Burri, Explosions of Sight. The bonds between René Burri and the Musée de l’Elysée are strong, and anchored in the institution’s history. In 1985, when it was opened as a “museum for photography”, Burri attended for his friend Charles- Henri Favrod. Two years later, his photographic project “Les Ruines du futur” (The Ruins of the Future) was presented. In 2004, the museum hosted his first retrospective. In 2013, Burri decided to set up a foundation in his name at the Musée de l’Elysée. This new exhibition is the culmination of diligent research and studies carried out by the Musée de l’Elysée teams since 2013 on the entire René Burri collection in family archives and the Magnum Photos archives in Paris and New York. It aims to offer a new perspective on all Burri’s myriad creative activities throughout his life. It reveals a more personal and secret side to one of the most influential photojournalists of our time with a great many often previously unpublished documents: contact sheets, study prints, films, models for books, exhibition projects, notebooks, collages, watercolours, drawings, etc. Based on a long, chronological “Lifeline” leading visitors through the nine rooms of the Musée de l’Elysée’s two exhibition levels, this project develops twelve “Focal Points”, each showcasing a decisive element of Burri’s creative process in the broadest sense of the term: Cinema; Structures; Myself and the Others; Che; China; Television; Magnum; Book; One World; Colour; Collages; Drawings. In this exhibition, René Burri is shown to be modern and inventive, committed and facetious, curious and generous, unifying and a mentor, a rebel and poet, impassioned and fascinating and above all, particularly explosive! The exhibition receives the generous support of PKB Privatbank, valued partner of the Musée de l’Elysée and partner of the Fonds René Burri the FONDATION COROMANDEL, the Loterie Romande and the Cercle du Musée de l'Elysée. Curators: Mélanie Bétrisey and Marc Donnadieu, with the assistance of Jessica Mondego Scientific advisor : Werner Jeker, representative of the Fondation René Burri Press conference : Tuesday January 28, 2020 at 10am Opening : Tuesday January 28, 2020 at 6pm Cover : René Burri, Xerox, Los Angeles, Californie, Etats-Unis, 1971, (detail) Above : René, Burri, El Che, after 2005. Reproduction painted on cardboard of the Retrospective 2005-2010 in Rotterdam René Burri, Quatre hommes sur le toit, São Paulo, Brésil, 1960 © René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 2/14 2/9 René Burri: a child of the 20th century with multiple sensitivities As a child, Burri collected stamps from all over the world. By the end of a career spanning almost sixty years, he had immortalised thousands of anonymous people, accompanied some of the most important artists, architects and writers of his time, pointed his lens at the leading directors or politicians who shaped the history of the second half of the twentieth century, witnessed almost all the conflicts, crises, clashes and important events that shook the planet. Thus, at times at some risk to his own life, he was in Czechoslovakia during the mid-1950s, witnessing the Prague Spring and later the collapse of communism; in Korea as war broke out and at the controversial Olympic Games of the late 1980s; the closure and reopening of the Suez Canal; the heyday and the ruin of Lebanon . . . Although Burri was not in Berlin in 1961 for the building of the Wall, he was there on 23 December 1989 to help bring it down among that intrepid, joyful crowd keen to regain its identity and its freedom, fired by a collective momentum. He also put together a documentary account of the United States’ victorious Space Race and the ruins left in its wake; on the cult of the motorcar and its decline; on the birth of Brasilia and its evolution over time. […] […] René Burri firmly believed that humanity, despite its intrinsically disparate nature,had to learn to share the unique territory that is our world. Moreover, aside from a simple dialogue between cultures, he constantly pondered the make-up of our civilisation; about what brings us together rather than what splits us apart; about what we build together and for all people, rather than what we destroy in one fell swoop. His lengthy investigations sparked major, immediately published inquiries into his in-depth view of Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East in particular, of which he was a true connoisseur and a perspicacious observer. […] […] Burri appeared to be tackling the fractures of the past with an engaged and profoundly humanist approach, as if attempting to defuse the schisms, neutralise them even, as if he were trying to heal the fissures, if not sew them back together. It is true that he had experienced the momentum of the years 1960–1970, those hopes for absolute equality and solidarity, that peaceful building of a future free at last from the rivalry of the great powers, but real life and geopolitical issues soon put a stop to such dreams and ideals. Burri himself, however, seemed still to cling to these dreams, the ones he drew as a child on sheets of paper, and then leafing through Life, the dreams of Burri the photojournalist, constantly chasing all over the globe in a bid to find out what was really going on, those of Burri the visionary photographer and filmmaker of the great movements of the world, and even the innermost ones of Burri, the craftsman of images, who made collages to try and dispel his fear of flying or the frantic multiplication of images all around him, and lastly those of the most intimate Burri, the colour artist, making drawings once more in the notebooks he always carried in his pocket simply for pleasure and for joy as he watched everyday life go by. […] Excerpt from the text of Marc Donnadieu Everything, Terribly in Mélanie Bétrisey, Marc Donnadieu (dir.), René Burri, Explosions of Sight, Exhibition Catalogue, Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne, 2019, pp. 14-17 René Burri, Collage from the serie Culture à l’étranger, 1997-1998 René Burri, Autoportrait, Coronado, Nouveau Mexique, Etats-Unis, 1973/1983 © René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 3/14 3/9 Preservation and dissemination of the René Burri's archives While Burri is famous for iconic photographs that have stood the test of time, his work is altogether more extensive and varied than one might imagine. One cannot fail to be surprised, admiring – and somewhat startled – by all that he has handed down to future generations. Certainly, his photographs – almost exclusively press photos – are an important collection of almost 10,000 proofs, but they are only one aspect of his creative work. The body of his work consists of more than 7,000 contact sheets, 33,000 work prints and 170,000 slides, along with 100 or so collages and over 150 notebooks filled with sketches and book maquettes. Not to mention 100 kilos of painstakingly collected paper archives, documents and magazines. We have the entire collection of the work of this great photographer. Burri was aware of the value of his archive and, determined to hand down the body of his work, set up his foundation in 2013 in order to preserve it. The statutes tell us that its aim is to ‘bring together the work of the Swiss photographer, to ensure its conservation, its diffusion and its valorisation to museums and the public and to promote its spread throughout the world’. Supporting Swiss photography in all its forms also became one of the aims of the foundation, which chose Lausanne and the Musée de l’Elysée as its headquarters. René Burri, who was born in Zurich, always brandished his Swiss passport with pride, despite the decades he spent travelling the globe. He never forgot where he came from, and this unusual fact of living between two countries – Switzerland and France – fed continually into his work. He spent more than half his life in his birth country, in any case, with his first wife Rosellina Bischof, with whom he had two children, Yasmine and Olivier, who still live in Zurich. After his wife died, he spent more time in Paris, where Magnum Photos has offices. Some years later, he married Clotilde Blanc, and Leon Ulysee was born of this union. Despite his departure for France, Burri maintained his strong links with Switzerland, which he visited regularly. When it came to choosing a place to accommodate his foundation, it was only natural that he should, with his family’s agreement, think of a Swiss institution. Under the impetus of its then director, Sam Stourdzé, the Musée de l’Elysée offered to provide a home for his archives. Burri had attended the opening of the museum in 1985, and was already close to its first director, Charles-Henri Favrod, and his work was often enhanced thanks to the support of the institution. Since the photographer’s death in 2014, the museum and members of the René Burri Foundation have been working together to preserve and propagate his legacy. Excerpt from the text of Mélanie Bétrisey The René Burri Foundation in Mélanie Bétrisey, Marc Donnadieu (dir.), René Burri, Explosions of Sight.. Op. Cit., p. 19 René Burri, Brésil, 2004 René Burri, Habana, 2006 © René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 4/14 4/9 Publication The 8th book in the “Collection – Musée de l’Elysée”, the René Burri, Explosions of Sight exhibition catalogue published by Éditions Noir sur Blanc, develops in the body of the work eleven of the exhibition’s twelve “Focal Points”. The “Lifeline”, on the other hand, is addressed at the end of the book in an illustrated biography looked at anew and completed by the René Burri Foundation and edited by the Musée de l’Elysée. Four essays – by Marc Donnadieu on René Burri’s personality, Mélanie Bétrisey on the René Burri collection itself, Clara Bouveresse on Burri’s various roles at Magnum Photos and Julie Enckell Julliard on his drawings – successively shed light on his life and work. Four more personal accounts, by Daniel Bischof, Hans-Michael Koetzle, Bernard Plossu and Werner Jeker, round off the venture. The catalogue is supported by the Societe Academique Vaudoise – Fondation Fern Moffat. Edited by Mélanie Bétrisey and Marc Donnadieu, curators of the exhibition, with the assistance of Jessica Mondego, Musée de l'Elysée Director of the collection Tatyana Franck Research consultant Werner Jeker, representative of the Fondation René Burri With contributions by Mélanie Bétrisey, Daniel Bischof, Clara Bouveresse, Marc Donnadieu, Julie Enckell Julliard, Tatyana Franck, Werner Jeker, Hans-Michael Koetzle and Bernard Plossu The Editions Noir sur Blanc - Collection du Musée de l’Elysée With the collaboration of Scheidegger & Spiess, Zurich, for the english and german editions Available at the museum's bookshop and on the online shop www.shopelysee.ch 21 × 27.2 cm Bound, 240 pages ISBN 978-2-88250-612-2 Selling price: 49 CHF / 45 EUR Date of publication : January 16, 2020
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 5/14 5/9 Biography 1933 René Burri is born on April 9 in Zurich (Switzerland) 1950 René Burri is admitted to the Kunstgewerbeschule Zurich where he take courses in photography, graphic design and typography. He graduated in 1953 with the distinction of "very honourable" 1955 René Burri goes to Paris (France) and presents himself at Magnum Photos, where his work arouses great interest 1956 He travels very frequently and makes many reports for the New York Times Magazine, Life, Jours de France or even the Weltwoche, the Schweizer Illustrierte and the Bunte Illustrierte 1959 René Burri becomes a full member of Magnum Photos 1960 The 1960s are particularly intense years for René Burri and mark a turning point in his professional and private lives while undertaking an uninterrupted series of journeys 1962 After many long years of exploration and research, René Burri finally publishes his first book, Les Allemands 1963 At the very beginning of the year, René Burri is sent to Cuba for Look magazine, where he met Ernesto Guevara, bringing back with him the famous portrait of the "Che with Cigar," whose success would be worldwide. In December of the same year, he marries Rosellina Bischof in Zurich 1964 1964 marks the first of his journeys to China, a country that fascinates him. His daughter Yasmine is born this year In New York, he starts up Magnum Films with members of Magnum Photos. 1966 At the start of the year, René Burri puts on China, his first personal exhibition, in the Form Gallery in Zurich 1967 For the first time, he is the subject of a personal photo exhibition at the Art lnstitute of Chicago (United States). his son Olivier is born this year 1970 Once again, the 1970s are very productive years, marked by numerous trips and reports. His films are also starting to gain some acclaim. During this time, he concentrates on taking more personal photos 1972 René Burri takes part in the collective exhibition Behind the Great Wall of China: Photographs from 1870 to the Present organised by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York 1978-79 This year marks the start of his growing interest in the conquest of space. He investigates the future of NASA’s installations in the United States via his reportage, which is published in Stern under the title ‘Ruinen der Raumfahrt’. Ten years after man’s first steps on the moon, he is commissioned by Life to compile photo portraits of the twelve Apollo astronauts who have taken part in moon landings 1980 During the 1980s, René Burri develops more personal projects and beginning to think how to deploy his work to best effect. The issue of a special edition of Du is the occasion for René Burri to publish a first glimpse of his collage work, which he has been engaged in since the 1950s 1982 He is elected vice-president of Magnum Europe. He decides to open a photo gallery on the ground floor of their office in the rue des Grands-Augustins, Paris. René Burri, Paris, France, ca. 1953 René Burri, Photocollage des membres de Magnum Photos durant leur meeting annuel, passage Piver, Paris, France, 1990 © René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 6/14 6/9 1984 In 1984, the Stiftung für die Photographie provides funding for a first ambitious retrospective, One World, in the Zurich Kunsthaus. It features a great number of prints, and, above all, his collages, presenting for the frst time his MegaPhotoMobil installation. This show then travels to Paris, to the Centre national de la photographie, and to Lausanne, to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. 1986 On January 30, his wife, Rosellina Burri-Bischof, died 1987 His 1978 photographic project on the space conquest in the United States, Les Ruines du futur, is exhibited at the Musée de l'Elysée. 1989 René Burri is present at the fall of the Berlin Wall 1990 The 1990s are distinguished by a number of publications by René Burri and his first awards. He frequently travels between Europe and the Americas 1991 The photographer is awarded the chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres medal of the French governement 1994 his third child Léon Ulysse is born, to Clotilde Blanc, his new partner 1998 In September 1998, René Burri is awarded the Dr. Erich Salomon Award by the German Society for Photography 1999 René Burri is awarded the Prix Culturel by the canton of Zurich 2000 Starting in the 2000s, René Burri revisits his work and puts large exhibitions together, which will travel around the world. On Septembre 29, 2000, he marries Clotilde Burri 2004 The exhibition René Burri - Rétrospective 1950-2000 opens in Paris at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, and in Lausanne at the Musée de l’Elysée and, finally, in Milan at the Palazzo Reale. From 2004 to 2010, this exhibition travels to a dozen places 2010 During the last years of his life, René Burri continues to set up projects and to travel. His exhibition projects multiply and diversify 2011 René Burri receives the Swiss Press Photo award in the Lifetime Achievement category at Berne (Switzerland). 2013 June 27, he takes part in the Nuit des Images at the Musée de l'Elysée. This year, the Lausanne institution organises an additional reception this year, to honour the photographer on his eightieth birthday. In July of the same year, René Burri establishes his own foundation in Switzerland. It is now housed in the Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne 2014 René Burri dies a month later, on October 20, 2014 in a Zurich hospital Extract from the chapter Biographical Details in Mélanie Bétrisey, Marc Donnadieu (dir.), René Burri, Explosions of Sight... Op. Cit., pp. 219-230 René Burri, Xerox, Los Angeles, Californie, Etats-Unis, 1971, (detail) René Burri, Nantes - Paris TGV, 1994, Drawing booklet © René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 7/14 7/9
The photographs in the press kit are available for the press free of charge Contact presse
Their use is limited to promoting the exhibition René Burri, Explosions of Sight at the Julie Maillard
Musée de l’Elysée. They must not be cropped or modified and no mention must appear +41 (0) 21 316 99 27
on the image. Please use the captions provided. julie.maillard@vd.ch
René Burri, Brasilia, Brésil, 1960 René Burri, Mexique, Etat du Chiapas, 1982
© René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne © René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
René Burri, Fleurs de lotus séchées sur lac de Kunming, palais d’été de Pékin,
René Burri, Ministère de la Santé, Rio de Janeiro, Brésil, 1960 Chine, 1964
© René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne © René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
René Burri, Juf, Suisse, 1967 René Burri, Les procès des manifestants de la place Tian’anmen vus à la télévision
© René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne dans une chambre à l’hôtel de la Paix, Shanghai, Chine, 1989
© René Burri / Magnum Photos. Fondation René Burri, Courtesy Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
Partenaires Partners Partner
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 8/14 8/9
Le Musée de l’Elysée remercie ses précieux partenaires pour 2020
The Musée de l’Elysée thanks its valued partners for 2020
PartnersDas Musée de l’Elysée dankt seinen geschätzten Partnern für 2020
The Musée de l’Elysée thanks its valued partners for their support in 2020
Partenaire global Global Partner Global Partner
Partenaires privilégiés Preferred Partners Premiumpartner
Partenaires principaux Main Partners Hauptpartner
Soutiens privés, mécènes et institutionnels Private Partners, Patrons and Institutional Partners Private Förderer, Mäzene
und Institutionen
Fondation UBS pour la cultre
Fournisseurs officiels Official suppliers Offizielle Lieferanten
Partenaires médias Media Partners Medienpartner
René Burri, Explosions of Sight Elysée Lausanne Press kit 9/14 9/9
The Musée de l’Elysée
The Musée de l’Elysée is one of the world’s leading museums
entirely dedicated to photography. Since its establishmentas a
photography museum, it has improved public understanding of
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Recognised as a centre of expertise in the field of conservation and
enhancement of visual heritage, it holds a unique collection of over
one million phototypes and more than a dozen Collections and full
Archives including those of Sabine Weiss, Charles Chaplin, René
Burri, Nicolas Bouvier or Ella Maillart.
By 2021, the City of Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud will see three
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site. The Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Design
and Contemporary Applied Arts (mudac) and the Musée de l’Elysée
will be housed just a few yards from the station in the former CFF
locomotive hangars.
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Press contact
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+41 (0)21 316 99 27
julie.maillard@vd.ch
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