This summer, the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation, in collaboration with the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation, pays tribute to the unique artist couple Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) and Martine Franck (1938-2012) with a double photographic tribute. The exhibition is presented simultaneously at the Foundation's museums in Athens and Andros from July 3 to October 27, 2024.
In Athens, the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation hosts a major tribute to Henri Cartier-Bresson, consisting of two distinct sections. The first section features the 74 photographs from the album "Images à la sauvette" (The Decisive Moment), published in 1952 by Tériade (Stratis Eleftheriades) with the help of Matisse and Simon & Schuster publishers. This album, described by Robert Capa as a "bible for photographers," remains the most famous reference to Cartier-Bresson's work to this day. His photographs take the audience on a journey to various corners of the world, including France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Burma, Indonesia, and China.
The second section gathers for the first time the photographs Cartier-Bresson took in Greece during his travels in 1937, 1953, and 1961. Through these, visitors have the opportunity to travel to Athens, the Cyclades, major archaeological sites, as well as remote areas of the Peloponnese, Thessaly, and Epirus. Eighty percent of the exhibition consists of works being presented for the first time worldwide, accompanied by rich unpublished archival material such as letters and contact sheets. The exhibition is under the auspices of the French Ministry of Culture.
Photography and history enthusiasts have the opportunity to admire the work of two leading artists, revealing the different perspectives and unique moments captured through their lenses.