Interview and photos by Amelie Gould

The ability of a camera to capture people in the moment sets photography apart from other art forms, as it preserves their energies for centuries to come. Humans have been documenting people and their lives on camera for ages, as shown through the Centre Pompidou’s “Corps à corps”, an exhibition on the rich history of photography and how the connection between artist, subject and viewer is stronger than ever. Through the collections of the Centre Pompidou and collector Marin Karmitz, we experience unique energies and links as a human race through the 500 photographs and documents by some 120 different photographers on display. The curatorial choices of Julie Jones truly tie together the human figure and experience.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Julie Jones, who was eager to speak on her curatorial ideas and choices for “Corps à corps.” Ms. Jones initially found her interest in photography through a course at her high school, then continued her studies of art history at the Sorbonne with her passion for photography in mind. She is now a part of the Cabinet de la Photographie at the Centre Pompidou and works to produce new exhibits. She chose the private collection of Marin Karmitz to complement that of the Centre Pompidou’s own collection for this exhibit, stating that “he had all these things, that if we put them together, you know, we could tell another history of photography… Marin Karmitz has this obsession for the representation of the face and the body.” His collection of over 1,500 prints “was very much in dialogue with our collection, because he has a lot of things we didn't have… his collection was about the body, ours was not.”

This completed the Pompidou’s prestigious photography collection, housing one of the biggest collections in the world to form a beautiful exhibit on the history of photography through the human lens. Having been to this exhibit three times, I can safely say that it is definitely one of my favorites. 

“Corps à corps”, translating to “body to body”, brings to light the unique connection between artist and subject. This collection of photographs and documents is on view in Gallery 2 of the museum. On the way up to the gallery, located on the top level of the building, visitors are greeted with an incredible view of the Paris skyline, being able to see every part of the city. I was sure to spare a few minutes to take some photos of my own. Upon entering the exhibition, I was welcomed by various gazes– to my left, the framed yet glaring eyes of an older man. It is incredible how a photograph can elicit such emotions. All around me are faces, all different ages, acknowledging that a person had entered and that they were being observed. The exhibit showcases the works of renowned photographers from around the world, including Man Ray, Lewis Hine, Nancy Wilson-Pajic and Chris Marker, along with many other notorious names. Available from September 6 to March 25, “Corps à corps” is not an exhibit to miss.