Magnum's First: The Face of Time

Jakopič Gallery presents the first group exhibition by the renowned photographic agency, Magnum, named Magnum's First: Face of Time.

For over 50 years these works were thought to be lost. It was not until the spectacular find in 2006 of the original picture collection in the Institut Français in Innsbruck that this exhibition, featuring images by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Erich Lessing, Werner Bischof, Inge Morath and others, could be displayed again. The exhibition shows over 80 vintage prints from the early days of independent photojournalism in their original form of presentation – mounted on colourful fibre boards. Authentic street scenes, genre pictures and portraits avoid sensationalism and offer diverse insights into the history of the post-war period. The range of themes presented in the eight photo essays is surprisingly relevant to our present day: The essays tell the story of Gandhi’s death in India, socialism taking hold in Hungary, and the lavish film production of a Hollywood epic in Egypt. Everyday scenes also feature in the exhibition, such as Erich Lessing’s ironic series about children in Vienna. The first exhibition of these photographic essays in the mid-1950s started a success story without parallel, which would dominate photojournalism for almost half a century.

In cooperation with Photonic moments – Month of Photography 2012.