Mexican suitcase: Gerda Taro, Robert Capa, David Seymour

[george013]

Just for those who are interested I want to pay some attention to above photographers. Both started as war photographer in Spain during the civil war. Gerda Tarot got overrum by a tank in 1937, Robert Capa died in French Indochina stepping on a mine in 1954, David Seymour got shot at the end of the Suez War in 1956.
Robert Cappa, David Seymour and Henri Cartier-Bresson where among the founders of Magnum Photos.

At the end of the Spanish Civil War the last two had to leave Spain. Then some boxes of negatives disappeared, probably given to the ambassador of Mexico. Somewhere in the beginning of this century those negatives where founded. The International Centre of Photography got them in possession and restored the negatives, about 4500. http://museum.icp.org/mexican_suitcase/
Those negatives are published as contact prints in The Mexican Suitcase. That edition contains 2 books packed in a suitcase. Beside the photos there are a lot of essays in that book dealing the development of war photography, illustrated press, political situation in Spain and Europe, the backgrounds of the 3 photograohers.
Having the photos printed in contactspread gives also the possibility to have a look in the way the photographer saw things, it ads a time dimension to it.

I don't sell this book, I've nothing to do with it but it's very cheap. It's for sale in the museum in New York for 20 dollar, I bought it in Amsterdam for 25 euro.

George

[xpatUSA]

Thanks George, and Christmas greetings!

This link gets us to their gallery page:

http://museum.icp.org/mexican_suitcase/gallery.html
.

[Shadowman]

There is also a documentary.

http://www.filmsnotdead.com/2011/08/...suitcase-film/

[george013]

There is also a documentary.

http://www.filmsnotdead.com/2011/08/...suitcase-film/

I didn't know that. It will be a problem to get it and then it's spanish subtitled and half spanish/catalan and half english spoken. I look further.

It's amazing how often old photo's show up. A polar expedition from the beginning of the 20th century, war photo's made by ordinary people with a camera. Just laying somewhere waiting for the time to be founded. It won't happen with digital photography. A pity for our descendants.
I had several undeveloped filmrols laying here and had brought them to a shop to get developed. Most from the kids, about 10 15 years old negatives. But one of them was mine. I could trace it back to 1980. Laying somewhere for 34 years.


George

[Shadowman]

I didn't know that. It will be a problem to get it and then it's spanish subtitled and half spanish/catalan and half english spoken. I look further.

It's amazing how often old photo's show up. A polar expedition from the beginning of the 20th century, war photo's made by ordinary people with a camera. Just laying somewhere waiting for the time to be founded. It won't happen with digital photography. A pity for our descendants.
I had several undeveloped filmrols laying here and had brought them to a shop to get developed. Most from the kids, about 10 15 years old negatives. But one of them was mine. I could trace it back to 1980. Laying somewhere for 34 years.


George

I suppose it's possible with digital depending on the technology and format used to preserve, I have at least 50 CDs filled with some of my earlier work; perhaps not Capa or Lange quality.

[george013]

I suppose it's possible with digital depending on the technology and format used to preserve, I have at least 50 CDs filled with some of my earlier work; perhaps not Capa or Lange quality.

As long you take care you can archive for ever. But what if you stop? If you're gone your kids or friends will take it over for 1 day, and then forget it.
George

[Shadowman]

As long you take care you can archive for ever. But what if you stop? If you're gone your kids or friends will take it over for 1 day, and then forget it.
George

Then it might be a good idea to get those archives into the hands of someone who can appreciate them.

[PhilT]

I saw last year the exhibition at the Photography Museum in Paris, it was great and fascinating for the shots but also for the background, Spain, the civil war that was a rehearsal for the coming WWII. If it's coming in your surrounding just run to see it

[DanK]

Thanks, George, Ted, and John, for this information.

Dan