Last Day to see, Through the Lens: Visions of Post-war Europe Exhibition

Exhibition Dates:

Wednesday, December 2, 2015 - Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Massive, 2012 by Philip Breson

Featuring never-before-exhibited photographs of Fred Maroon and Philippe Bréson, the show offers a narrative of the environmental and social changes that swept through Europe after World War I and II. Artist’s Proof showcases how photographers Fred Maroon and Philippe Bréson offer a narrative on the changes that swept through Europe after World War I and II in the exhibition, “Through the Lens: Visions of Post-War Europe.” This exhibition will be curated by the distinguished Will Stapp who was the founding curator of the photography collection of the National Portrait Gallery.

Beggar Boy by Fred Maroon, Liverpool, 1951

Each photographer employs a carefully developed visual language to express the healing from scars left behind by each conflict. While Bréson focuses on the topographical ruptures in Europe’s landscapes left from the artillery shelling and trenches of World War I, Maroon’s 1950 and 1951 collections aimed to depict European society during a period of recovery from the ravages of World War II.

Fred J. Maroon (1924-2001) is described as one of the finest photographers of his generation. His career spanned more than half a century and touched on topics ranging from fashion, architecture, landscapes, photojournalism, and politics. This exhibition of his post-WWII photographs have never been shown as a collection of works and the exhibition seeks to tell the story of his travel through Europe as a stringer for Life Magazine. The people and places are seen through the eyes of a young American war veteran, fresh out of university, curious yet unsophisticated, as he intuitively reacted to the scenes he witnessed. In addition to the numerous awards garnered during an impressive career, Maroon’s works are featured in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the International Center of Photography, and the Library of Congress.

Unlike most contemporary photographers, Philippe Bréson works in an antiquated silver gelatin process, requiring him to develop each photograph manually, and often build his own cameras manually. An experienced photojournalist, Bréson has also taught photography in various art institutes in Paris. Featured in the Beaux Arts Magazine, Bréson has exhibited since 1986. His dive into “memory” as a theme is colored in the same ways as his explorations into portraiture, architecture, and underground sexuality. His works appeal to a vintage aesthetic. Based out of Paris, this is the first release of the artist’s work in the United States.

You can discover more about Maroon, Bréson, and other artists at www.aproof.net

Images: courtesy Artist's Proof Gallery.

Artist’s Proof Gallery Hours:

Mondays thru Saturdays: 11:00am to 7:00pm Sundays: 12:00pm to 5:00pm

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