Meeting Germaine Krull...

6:21 p.m.

Just across the Place de la Concorde, in Paris, a few miles away from the Musée de L’Orangerie, you'll find the Jeu de Paume, an exhibition and promotion center for all type of images, be them mechanic or electronic (photography, cinema, video and web art).

The first floor of this classic building, with minimalist interiors, is currently displaying an exhibition of photographs by Germaine Krull (Poland, 1897-Germany, 1985).

Portrait of Germaine Krull, by Hans Basler (1922)

Silver gelatine print

Berlin

Krull, a renowned figure of the avant-garde of the 1920s & 1940s, was a pioneer of photo-journalism and photo books. Her images with metallic structures and bridges became very famous and gave birth to the series the artist called "Metal". Her unusual angles and framing opened the way to a more modern vision on photography, which portrayed a city in constant transformation through the use of steel in construction.

Pont roulant, by Germaine Krull (1926) - Metal Series

Silver Gelatin / Measures: 21.9 x 15.3 cm

Rotterdam

Rue Auber à Paris, by Germaine Krull (1928) - Metal Series

Silver gelatin print / Measures: 30 x 23.5 cm

Cover of the book "Metal"

She took this modern vision to the city of Paris, where she photographed its people, its popular culture, its flea markets, its cafés and, in particular, ordinary people on the streets. Her approach was free and spontaneous, focusing on her subjects, rather than on elegant settings or balanced compositions.

Au bon coin, by Germaine Krull (1929)

Silver gelatin print / Medidas: 14.2 x 10.5 cm

Devant les grands magasins, by Germaine Krull (1929)

Being in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s turned out to be a never-ending world of posibilites for Krull: new department stores, shop windows, light effects at night and artistic effervescence... An absolute stimulation for her imagination.