"Magnum's First"

Werner Bischof, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ernst Haas, Erich Lessing, Jean Marquis, Inge Morath, and Marc Riboud

Exhibition: April 4 – August 15, 2015

The Very First Exhibition in the History of Documentary Photography by Magnum Photos Rediscovered after 50 Years

2015’s First show in Asia following France, Germany, Spain and Hungary

The Museum of Photography, Seoul will feature the exhibition Magnum’s First, organized by Magnum Photos (founded in 1947), a photographic co-operative of great diversity and distinction in Europe and USA owned by its photojournalist-members. This exhibition is the first event for the friendship year between France and Korea in 2015 and 2016.

In fact, the exhibition has its own story. The original name of Magnum’s First was Gesicht der Zeit. Rediscovered in an Innsbruck cellar in 2006, the first Magnum’s group exhibition, Gesicht der Zeit, was initially presented in five Austrian cities between June 1955 and February 1956. After months of complex restoration work, the original 83 prints are now available for presentation.

Presented in the exhibition are for example, one of the most important series by Henri Cartier-Bresson, 18 photographs of Mahatma Gandhi’s last moments and his cremation. The show also introduces vintage prints by pioneers of photojournalism, Werner Bischof, Robert Capa, Ernst Haas, Erich Lessing, Jean Marquis, Inge Morath and Marc Riboud. The Korean version of a comprehensive catalogue will be published to celebrate the first hosting of this historical exhibition in Asia.