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Mangnum Agency, founded in 1947 by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, made history over the second half of the XX century, when the world was trying to rebuild after WWII. Werner Bischof, born in Zurich in 1916, became a photographer almost by chance. He was, in fact, more interested in painting, but the painting classes at college were full, so he fell back on photography. Bischof put form at the essence of his creations, his Tin Soldiers (exhibited) is prophetic of the photo features he was going to realize just a few years in the future. He travelled Europe, mobile studio and darkroom in tow, to document the devastation of war.

In Milan, he met Rosellina Mandel, whom he later married. Bischof’s favourite subject were children – the symbol of redemption, energy, and future. The photographer is a photo reporter as much as an analytical newsperson, details being essential in his work. A colleague of his once called him “absolute man” for the fastidious precision in every picture he took. The amazing exhibition Werner Bischof. Fotografie 1934-1954, now at Casa dei Tre Oci, presents 250 shots from his most famous photo stories: India, Japan, Korea, South-East Asia, Panama, Chile, Peru.

The exhibition is curated by Bischof’s son Marco with the contribution of critic Denis Curti. Twenty pictures show Italy in an absolutely neo-realistic vision. The itinerary of this ideal journey starts in Europe to later go to India, a country in extreme poverty at the time, to Japan, and to America, where we first notice the metropolitan development that will be featured in later photographs: highways, junctions, cars are architectural elements.

The exhibition ends coinciding with Bischof’s existential journey’s end: in the villages of Peru and on the Andean peaks, where he would die on May 16, 1954, a mere nine days later than Robert Capa.

«Werner Bischof. Fotografie 1934–1954»
Until 25 February 2018

Casa dei Tre Oci, Giudecca - Venice
www.treoci.org