Harcourt holds portrait show in Shanghai
Print Edition
AS the writer Roland Barthes wrote in his book “Mythologies” in 1957: “In France you are not an actor if you have not been photographed by Studio Harcourt.” Today the studio stands out as one of the oldest photography studio in the world, with over 80 years of history. Those in Shanghai can now see 60 portraits from the famed Parisian institution on the top-floor gallery of 10 Corso Como through the end of May.
Included in the exhibition are shots of entertainment legends like Edith Piaf and Alain Delon, as well as contemporary Chinese stars like Fan Bingbing and Yue Minjun. Several of the portraits are being shown in public for the first time, including those of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Korean star Lee Byung Hun and Chinese actor Ge You, according to curator Jean Loh.
With thousands of images of notables from the worlds of cinema, fine art and literature, Studio Harcourt’s portrait catalogue is an integral part of France’s cultural heritage.
The studio first ventured into China in 2012 with an exhibition — focused mainly on French movie stars — at Shanghai’s Sinan Mansion. During this event, Harcourt set up a temporary studio in the city to shoot Chinese artists.
“That was when Harcourt photographers made the portraits of Gao Bowen, Maleonn, Zhang Enli, etc,” the curator added.
Loh also curated the Chanson Francaise exhibition at the Alliance Francaise of Shanghai. This show featured 40 portraits of French singers from the 1930’s to 2012.
For decades, having one’s portrait taken with a “Harcourt Paris” label has been considered a major milestone in the career of any artist, particularly those active in France.
“In France, people are familiar with most of the French celebrities. In China, our selection of Chinese personalities is the result of patient work undertaken since 2012,” Loh explained.
In the current exhibition of multicultural portraits, Loh wanted to contrast the effect of Harcourt’s timeless cinematic lighting on Asian and Western faces.
“Besides their degree of fame or ‘brand appeal,’ the selection also must reflect the diversity and the versatility of Harcourt’s lighting style. How our ‘cinema’ lighting transforms the sitter into an ‘actor’ — that is what I call Harcourt’s power of transfiguration,” he told Shanghai Daily.
Getting the signature “Harcourt look” just right involves not only careful lighting and makeup effects, but also the discerning sensibilities of Studio Harcourt’s photographers who have been nurtured by the in-house history, and especially the history of cinema.
The venue for the ongoing exhibition also includes a book store, a restaurant and a bar. The show was an easy sell for the gallery’s art director, Corso Como Carla Sozzani, who runs a photo gallery in Milan. “I hope the exhibition will attract young people to come visit this unique design center in Shanghai, to buy not only clothes and accessories but also books and magazines,” Loh adds.
Date: Through May 30, 10am-10pm
Venue: 4/F, 10 Corso Como Shanghai Gallery, North Annex-Wheelock Square
Address: 1717 Nanjing Rd W.
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