Since the Spring of 2006, when photography entered the Beaux Arts Academy with the election of two photographers, this venerable French institution has been publishing the “Lettre de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts". Arnaud d'Hauterives, perpetual secretary, is the publication’s director while the editorial staff is run by Paul Louis Mignon. The Lettre has two goals: relaying the life, events, prizes nominations of the Academy; it also gathers a collection of commentaries about a particular theme. After the two previous editions that were devoted to “The artist’s hand” and “Artists and Decision Makers”, it was decided that number 66, released in Autumn 2011, would be devoted to photography with the title “Long Live Photography”. The Photography section of the Beaux-Arts Academy includes Lucien Clergue, Yann Arthus Bertrand, Agnès de Gouvion Saint Cyr and Bernard Perrine.

With Paul Louis Mignon, Lucien Clergue and Bernard Perrine built the table of contents and oversaw the coordination. Their theme was to show the fields of photography since its creation by Academy member Arago.

French Photography Society President Paul-Louis Roubert’s contribution was entitled “The Territories of Photography” and told the original story of photography in the Academy. The text by Quentin Bajac, Head Curator of the Photography Department of the Pompidou Center is entitled “The long walk” and covers the recognition of photography in France between the two World Wars. While Daniel Barroy, Head of the Photography Mission at the Culture and Communication Ministry, explained the Ministry’s current position in regards to photography.

Philippe Garner, International Director of Photography at Christie’s, “Collecting Photography, a passion” provides a reflection about photography’s inevitable entry into the art market. Former director of the French National Library and President of the Rencontres d’Arles, Jean-Noël Jeanneney, demonstrates how Lucien Clergue’s idea for the city of Arles became a world event.

Michel Puech, associate editor of La Lettre de la Photographie, "From the Golden Age of Photography to Low Cost Journalism” describes the evolution of photojournalism. Anaïs Feyeux, photography historian, provides information about “Experimental Photography”, a different picture of post war photography.

As for Bernard Perrine, journalist and photographer and Michel Poivert, Art History Professor at the Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, they analyze the influence of technology, specifically digital technology, on photographic esthetics. “Digital photography and the internet changed how we see, show and take pictures.”

In the next edition (67) set to run the third week of January, 2012, Bernard Perrine will provide information about the photographic collections at the French Institute, “Treasures to Rediscover”, the masterpieces at the Musée Condé of Chantilly, and the photographic collection of the Duke of Aumale.

Bernard Perrine

Lettre de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts
N°66 "Vive la Photographie"
Institut de France
Académie des Beaux-Arts
23 quai de Conti
75005 Paris