André Kertész

With his very personal images, Hungarian photographer André Kertész (1894–1985) skillfully succeeded in capturing the fleeting, emotional moments in his environment. His works had a pronounced influence on artistic photography in the mid-twentieth century and on artists such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, and Brassaï. Three important periods mark his oeuvre: Budapest, 1914–25; Paris, 1925–36; and New York, 1936–85. While this first retrospective deals with all phases of Kertész’s career, it sheds particular light on his work for magazines, hisDistortions—photographs of nude models taken with mirrors from unusual perspectives—and the Polaroids,a series shot from the window of his home that features fascinating images of personal objects against the skyline of New York.

Exhibition schedule: Jeu de Paume, Paris, September 28, 2010–February 6, 2011 | Fotomuseum Winterthur, February 26–May 22, 2011 | Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, June 11–September 11, 2011 | Magyar Nemzeti Galéria, Budapest, September 30–Dezember 31, 2011