On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, Fnac is dedicating a beautiful book to its photographic collection. Published by Gallimard, Regards. A Century of Photography, from Brassaï to Martin Parr will be released in bookstores on October 3, 2024.
The history of Fnac is closely linked to photography. Initially specializing in the sale of cameras, the brand transformed its stores into exhibition spaces in 1966, where the works of both renowned artists and emerging talents could be discovered. As an extension of this, it opened its own collection in 1978.
Beyond making a discipline more accessible, both in its appreciation and its practice, Fnac has created a sustainable ecosystem around photography. These initiatives, which are part of its commitments to the democratization of culture, have earned it a reputation as a pioneer in the world of the 8th art.
The work of Johan Van Der Keuken is put forward in Regards, A century of photography, from Brassaï to Martin Parr. ©Estate of Johan van der Keuken. Neederlands Fotomuseum / Collection photo Fnac.
An extraordinary artistic heritage
To celebrate this unique archive, composed to date of nearly 1900 prints acquired during exhibitions, Fnac has imagined Regards. A century of photography, from Brassaï to Martin Parr alongside Quentin Bajac, art historian and director of the Jeu de Paume. As its name suggests, the coffee table book presents itself as a reflection of a collection of fragments from the 20th century. In fact, the 250 photographs cover a period from 1903 to the 2000s and show the major trends in the history of the medium.
Throughout the 300 pages of the book to be published by Gallimard, readers will be able to contemplate compositions by André Kertész, Berenice Abbott, Brassaï, Man Ray, Henry Clarke, Inge Morath, Robert Capa, Annie Leibovitz, Willy Ronis, William Klein, Sabine Weiss and Frank Horvat. Preserved since 2014 at the Nicéphore Niépce Museum in Chalon-sur-Saône, the collection constitutes an extraordinary artistic heritage that, more broadly, reflects the world, the contours of its landscapes and those who inhabit them.
Regards. A century of photography, from Brassaï to Martin Parredited by Quentin Bajac, Gallimard. In bookstores from October 3, 2024.
