Harry Gruyaert. Retrospective

Between the 1970s and 1980s Harry Gruyaert (Belgium, 1941), a member of Magnum Photos, was one of the few European photographers to to give colour a purely creative dimension: one emotional perception, non-narrative, and a radically visual worldview. Some American photographers, including Saul Leiter and William Eggleston, had already embarked on this path; their work led Gruyaert to recognise the expressive potential that was emerging at a time when photography was still predominantly celebrated in black and white.

Today, Harry Gruyaert enjoys international success. The exhibition on display at CAMERA Torino showcases his the first major retrospective in Italy. Organised chronologically, the exhibition opens with the TV footage, a unique exploration of the interplay between early colour television and photography. The exhibition traces the evolution of his visual language, influenced by numerous trips, in which each country stands out, in his view, for its specific chromatic qualities. His artistic research has also benefited from the’the evolution of photographic techniques, from the film Kodachrome and in the press Cibachrome from the 20th century right through to the vast possibilities offered by digital technology in the 21st century.

The exhibition is curated by François Hébel, artistic director of CAMERA Torino.