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| Portrait of Andre Kertesz, 1982. |
Born in July of 1894 in Hungry, André Kertész was a photographer who was known for his unique compositional strategies and his photo essays. Kertész had been groomed as a young man to enter into the world of business, although in 1912 he bought his first camera. He photographed what was around him: local peasants, gypsies, and landscapes. It's thought that the first photograph that he took that year was Sleeping Boy, Budapest.
In 1914, Kertész fought in the Austro-Hungarian Army and brought his camera to the trenches. Kertész caught a bullet in his right arm, which caused temporary paralysis although, even as a patient at the military hospital in Budapest and then Esztergom, he continued to take photographs of his experience. While at Eszertgom, Kertész shot one of his most famous images titled, Underwater Swimmer, Esztergom. Kertész's images were published in Érdekes Újság, in 1917 during World War I. Only a few years after Kertész had bought a camera, his unique style of composition and photo-journalistic approach was already evident.
After the war ended in 1918, Kertész returned to being a business man and worked for the stock exchange, where he met a woman named Erzsebet Salomon (Elizabeth Saly) whom he began to pursue romantically. Despite his good job, Kertész's love of photography only became stronger and continued to shoot when he would get home from work. Elizabeth was his number one model during these years.
To pursue his passion for photography further, Kertész wanted to emigrate to Paris, France where he could study. Although, Kertész's mother did not want him to leave Hungry and persuaded him to stay. Kertész eventually followed his passion despite his mother's wishes and emigrated to Paris in 1925, leaving behind his family along with his fiance, Elizabeth.
To pursue his passion for photography further, Kertész wanted to emigrate to Paris, France where he could study. Although, Kertész's mother did not want him to leave Hungry and persuaded him to stay. Kertész eventually followed his passion despite his mother's wishes and emigrated to Paris in 1925, leaving behind his family along with his fiance, Elizabeth.
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| Kertész, André, (left) Sleeping Boy, Budapest & (right) Underwater Swimmer, Esztergom, 1914, 1917. |
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| Kertész, André, (left) Circus, Budapest & (right) Fork, 1920, 1928. |
Kertész was certainly not the only Hungarian artist who emigrated to Paris during this time. Photographers Robert Capa, Man Ray, Germaine Krull and Brassaï had also moved there. Kertész became connected with many artists who were involved in both the Dada and Cubist movements. In 1928, he switched cameras and began to shoot with a Leica. He shot portraits of renowned painters Marc Chagall and Piet Mondrian. Despite his fiancé awaiting his return in Hungry, Kertész quietly married a French portrait photographer named Rosza Klein (Rogi André). The marriage was very short lived and he did not speak about it.
In 1930, Kertész traveled back to Hungry to visit his family. The same year he was awarded a silver medal for his services to photography at the Exposition Coloniale. His work was published in French magazines: Vu and Art et Médecine. As Kertész's work became more successful in Paris, Elizabeth joined him in the big city in 1931 and they were married in June of 1933. One of his most renowned series was shot in 1933 when he shot roughly two hundred nude photographs; the models appeared to be distorted and the project rightly titled, Distortion.
In 1930, Kertész traveled back to Hungry to visit his family. The same year he was awarded a silver medal for his services to photography at the Exposition Coloniale. His work was published in French magazines: Vu and Art et Médecine. As Kertész's work became more successful in Paris, Elizabeth joined him in the big city in 1931 and they were married in June of 1933. One of his most renowned series was shot in 1933 when he shot roughly two hundred nude photographs; the models appeared to be distorted and the project rightly titled, Distortion.
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| Kertész, André, from Distortion, 1933. |
Throughout the 1930s, Kertész continued to publish his images. His first series of images printed as a book came out in 1933 and was titled Enfants, which was dedicated to his fiancee, Elizabeth and his mother, who had passed away the same year. The following year, Kertész published a book titled Paris, which was dedicated to his two brothers. After emigrating to New York City in 1936, Kertész published Our Friends the Animals and The Cathedrals of Wine in 1937.
Stay tuned for Part II of this series to learn more about André Kertész and his work!