The thirties were troubled times in France marked by a depressed economy, the rise of fascism, polarized politics and the election of the Popular Front in 1936. “Photographie, Arme de Class” —an exhibition at the Centre Pompidou— revisits those tumultuous years between 1928 and 1936 via photographs, film clips, magazines and archival documents including work from the photography section of the “Association of Revolutionary Writers and Artists” and examples of illustrated magazines such as “Vu” and “Nos Regards.”
French “worker photography” during the 1930’s sharpened the focus on the conditions of laboring people. The photographs (some of which were taken with the new 35 mm Leica camera) were the beginning of a new modern documentary aesthetic inspired by German and Soviet models. “Photographie, Arme de Class” provides insight into social and documentary photography during those years with work by Eli Lotar, Germaine Krull, Brassaï, Willy Ronis, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dora Maar, Charlotte Perriand and more.
Photographie, Arme de Classe (Photography as a Weapon of Class) to February 04, 2019. Centre Pompidou, Paris. Free admission.