Onderzoek naar de missie en de organisatie van de Belgische moderne kunstfotografie tussen 1950 en 1965. Geschiedenis en interpretatie van 7 strijdbare fotografen tussen traditie en vernieuwing

Abstract

Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Faculteit letteren en Wijsbegeerte
Vakgroep Kunstwetenschappen en Archeologie

A Research on the Mission and Organisation of the Belgian Modern Art Photography between 1950 and 1965. History and Interpretation of Seven Combative Photographers between Tradition and Innovation

Tamara Berghmans
Promoter: Prof. dr. Johan Swinnen

This dissertation regards the mission and the organisation of the Belgian modern art photography between 1950 and 1965 and gives the history and interpretation of seven combative photographers between tradition and innovation. I examined not only the vision of these photographers, but also how they were organised. The research concerns the modern art photography; this means photography that wants to be art (in opposition with applied and/or documentary photography) and wants to distinct herself explicitly from the traditional pictorialist photography. The Belgian modern art photography in the fifties connected with the German concept subjektive Fotografie from the former physician and photographer Otto Steinert (1915-1978). The seven central photographers in this research are Robert Besard (1920-2000), Pierre Cordier (°1933), Julien Coulommier (°1922), Gilbert De Keyser (1925-2001), Antoon Dries (1910-2004), Marcel Permantier (1918-2005) and Serge Vandercam (1924-2005).

This study examined in which degree Belgium was under the spell of tradition. I researched how the concept subjektive Fotografie from Otto Steinert found expression in the Belgian modern art photography between 1950 and 1965 and what role the tradition of the pictorialism played in the development of this modern art photography. Firstly, I explored the artistic and organisational evolution of the Belgian modern art photography between 1950 and 1965. Secondly, I analysed the role of the Belgian modern art photography in the acquisition of the new status of photography in the Fine Arts. Thirdly, I studied the significance of the Belgian modern art photography (1950-1965), placed in the international photography context. In this way, I examined the existence of a specific Belgian identity. In the fourth place, I researched the appreciation for the Belgian modern art photography and in which degree this was externalised between 1950 and 1965. Finally, I studied in which extent of the amateur status of the Belgian art photographers contributed to their mission.

The importance of the Belgian modern art photographers lies in the fact that they were innovative in Belgium, formed part of a broad international movement, gained foreign recognition, piloted the photography in the Belgian art world, made Belgium conscious for the artistic possibilities of photography and offered a new generation of photographers the opportunity to develop their artistic aspirations in a more comfortable climate. Photographers working in the seventies didn't need a photo club anymore: they directly made the step to autonomous photography, with or without photographic education. The struggle for the recognition of photography was fought; the appreciation could now be expressed in financial support.

We can conclude that the subjektive Fotografie from Otto Steinert was not copied blindfold by the Belgian photographers; they gave a personal interpretation of the concept. On one side, the tradition of pictorialism was visible in the operation and organisation of the Belgian modern art photographers. Due to a lack of other possibilities they were forced to work within the structure of the photo club and the amateur milieu. On the other side, the Belgian modern art photographers broke with the tradition of the by now out of date pictorialism and connected with the Belgian art world and the international modern photography. The Belgian modern art photographers laid the foundation for a new generation of photographers. These seven combative photographers between tradition and innovation extended irreversible photography's process of emancipation in Belgium.

Date of Award	2008
Original language	Dutch
Supervisor	Johan Swinnen (Promotor)