The Family of Man, Edward Steichen
The exhibition The Family of Man has been enthusiastically celebrated by the general public and criticized by artists as critics, and is now legendary in the history of photography. It was conceived by Edward Steichen as a mirror of humanity with the aim of building bridges between peoples – postwar photography was the vehicle for this humanist message. For his ambitious project, Steichen collected 4 million photographs to finally selected 503 by 273 authors from 68 countries. With these, he composed a manifesto for peace and the fundamental equality of humans. The exhibition includes pictures by photographers such as Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange, Robert Doisneau, August Sander, Ansel Adams ... that are staged in a modernist and dramatic manner.
Shown for the first time in 1955 at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the exhibition attracted nearly 10 million visitors during its international tour, after which it was bequeathed to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Today, the historical exhibition is a unique photographic heritage, registered by UNESCO as Memory of the World and the fully restored collection is shown in the renovated Clervaux Castle, combining a contemporary approach and interpretation with respect for of its history.
Biography
Edward Steichen (1879 – 1973) was born in Bivange, Luxembourg, and emigrated to the United States in 1880. His life spanned a long artistic career with a thirst for experimentation: known above all for his photography work, he was also a painter, film producer, director of the Department of Photography at MoMA and horticulturist.
The CNA
The Centre national de l’audiovisuel (CNA) was created in 1989. Its mission is to preserve and honour Luxembourg’s national photography, film and sound heritage. Today, the CNA’s photography collection comprises over four hundred thousand documents and bears witness to the richness of image creation and photographic practice in Luxembourg. The historical collection The Family of Man and its restoration project in 1989 was the institute’s first large-scale undertaking.
Location: Clervaux Castle
13-11 rue Schloff
L-9701 Clervaux
Luxembourg
