City photographer Antwerp / 2010-2011

CITY PHOTOGRAPHER ANTWERP / 2010-11
Fifty One Fine Art Photography / ZIRKSTRAAT 20 / 2000 ANTWERPEN
26/6/2012 - 28/7/2012.

Fifty One Fine Art Photography hosts the first exhibition of the voluntary association City Photographer Antwerp. As a partner of the association the gallery ensures the artistic quality of the photographic interpretation. This summer, the first group of city photographers (2010-2011) will be in the spotlight. This group consisted of five photographers: Maarten Vanden Abeele, Patrick de Roo, Elisabeth Broekaert, Dan Zollmann and Alex Salinas.
Founded in 2010, the non-profit organization City Photographer Antwerp strives to create a collective and artistic photographic memory of the city in the long-term. Biennial the city photographers commit themselves to perpetuate their gaze on the city. They are being selected by a heterogeneous committee consisting of Antwerp delegates from various disciplines.
The concept of the city photographer is not new. The American photographer Weegee (USA, 1899-1968) is perhaps the best known example. As a photojournalist, he photographed the confrontations such as car accidents and gang murders in the city of New York in the years 40-50. Importantly, he built his oeuvre under his own management, regardless of any political ideologies. This vision is also reflected in the workings of the association whereby the city photographers capture completely autonomously and voluntarily their view of Antwerp.