Legal, ethical and political controversies have accompanied the entire history of photography since its invention in 1839. The rules that apply – or do not apply – to journalistic and artistic photographs today are the consequences of these conflicts and debates. Nevertheless, they are constantly being questioned and challenged anew. The exhibition CONTROVERSIES. THE LAW, ETHICS and PHOTOGRAPHY documents this tension-laden history through numerous case studies. Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to form their own opinions – for the middle course between premature censorship and uncompromising freedom of expression remains a delicate matter of subjective assessment. The exhibition focuses on works that have overstepped boundaries and newly defined them, thus shedding light not only on the medium of photography but above all on the respective times, on society and on court decisions; in short, it focuses on great but often problematic moments in the history of photography.

An Exhibition produced by the Musée de l'Elysée (Lausanne).
Curators of the exhibition : Daniel Girardin, Senior Curator of the Musée de l’Elysée and Christian Pirker, Attorney at Law in Geneva. Associate curator for CNA: Marguy Conzémius and Michèle Walerich.