Paris has long been a favorite destination for China's travelling
lovers. But now, Paris aficionados don't have to take a trip to the
city to appreciate its scenery and people.
Willy Ronis in Paris, an exhibition of 190 photos shot by the
distinguished French photographer Willy Ronis, will run until May
12 in the Capital Museum in Beijing. Ronis, now 97, is considered
the leading figure of the humanist school of photography for his
works featuring Paris' scenery and most ordinary people.
"I wasn't going to show the famous cultural relics and
architectures of Paris," said Ronis, who did not come to Beijing
because of health problems, in a letter to his Beijing audiences.
"What I love is wandering in the city to capture people's work and
lifestyles."
The exhibition contains five series arranged in chorological
order, covering his works from the 1910s to the 60s. The first
series, entitled A Parisian Youth, shows the early works of Ronis,
who was then an apprentice in his father's photo studio. There are
three auto portraits, two pictures of his parents and some
showcasing the cultural activities of Paris, such as the
celebration of a local newspaper and bands performing on the
street.
The second part marks the beginning of Ronis' photography
career. Many of his works, which later became famous, came out
during this period. Highlights include the capture of leaders of
the Popular Front (an alliance of left-wing movements in the
1930s), walking hand in hand on the Plaza Bastille and a photo of
the strike in Citroen-Javel.
The photo of the strike was shot in 1938, when he visited the
factory and overheard a woman's voice in a room. He went inside and
found a woman delivering a passionate speech to the
workers.?
He snapped a shot of her extending her hand toward her audience.
Ronis did not publish the photo until 1980, when the woman, then 80
years old, recognized herself in the picture. She wrote a letter to
Ronis, and the two now-elderly people met in 1982 in the woman's
restaurant. The story of their meeting was later made into a short
film.
Ronis' affinity for ordinary Parisians can be felt in all of his
works, especially those shot after the World War II. Some of them
were shown in the section entitled An Incredible Thirst for
Images.
Ronis's works during this period showed French people's
confidence in their future after the dark days of occupation.
Various people appeared in his works, such as a chip vender,
children running in the street, people celebrating Christmas and
painters on the street. These characters represented a Paris that
was hardworking, dynamic and hopeful. In this period, Ronis focused
on the joy of regaining freedom and the festive atmosphere of daily
life at that time.
This section showcases his famous photo, The Little Parisian
(1952), in which a boy holding a baguette runs along the street
with a big smile. The way his hair flies in the wind and glee of
smile conveys the elation of newfound freedom.
Such cheerfulness can also bee seen in his three photos of
people celebrating Christmas in 1952. The photo shows crowds of
Parisians, young and old, holding balloons and laughing enjoying
the happiness of freedom despite the material difficulties that
came in the war's aftermath.
People obsessed with famous architectures and scenic spots would
find destinations such as the Effiel Tower, Plaza Vendome and the
Seine River among Ronis' works. But as Smiejan Wanneroy, one of the
curators said, Ronis strongly believes in the nobility of the small
joys of daily life, and it is his insistence in this belief that
helps him create such unique works.
Wanneroy also believes Beijing people will enjoy the photos and
find things about themselves in them. "Paris and Beijing have long
been the resources of artists' inspiration," she said. "Although
they are far away from each other, they have much in common. They
both witness the two big cultures' changes, which influence each
other."
(China Daily April 19, 2007)
