Curator : Horacio Fernandez

Advisory committee : Marcelo Brodsky, Iata Cannabrava, Lesley Martin, Martin Parr, Ramon Reverté

‘‘ THE LATIN-AMERICAN PHOTOBOOK: THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN THE HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY. ‘‘ 
MARTIN PARR

A rigorous investigation was lead to offset this silence by a systematic rescue of unquestionably valuable works, result of a complex alchemy between many ingredients: images, sequence, text, layout, binding, printing quality... The research focused exclusively on photobooks published in Latin America by Latin-American authors involved in carrying out their work.

During three years, through 19 countries from Cuba to Patagonia, we interviewed photographers, graphic artists, collectors, scholars, publishers, and sifted through their libraries and archives. Chasing the unknown on the scale of a continent has converted this investigation into a quest both breathtaking and electrifying. The result is surprising. Powerful, complex, troubling, often forgotten, cursed or secret books have emerged. Throughout the pages, unfolds ‘‘something that is part of caress, complaint, appeal, complicity, bitter denunciation’’ (Julio Cortazar).

Finally, this critical study reveals the remarkable contribution of Latin America in world history of photobook.

The exhibition presents 40 photobooks produced between 1921 and 2012.

The set design will follow a path consisting of original books, vintage prints, projections, models and quotes.

Selection is based around six thematics:

- History and propaganda

- Urban photography

- Photographic essays

- Artists photobooks

- Literature and photography

- Contemporary photobooks

Designer : Jasmin Oezcebi (Past exhibitions: Dada, Centre Pompidou and Chefs d’oeuvre, Centre Pompidou Metz)

The exhibition in Paris is the first stage of an international tour.

The exhibition is coproduced by LE BAL / IVORY PRESS (Madrid - Spain) / APERTURE FOUNDATION (New-York - United States) / INSTITUTO MOREIRA MORALES (Rio, São Paulo - Brazil) / MUSEO DEL LIBRO Y DE LA LENGUA (Buenos-Aires – Argentina).