E. Csorba Csilla: A kamera poétája. Adré Kertész-fotó a Petőfi Irodalmi Múzeum gyűjteményeiből (Budapest, 2019)
E. Csorba Csilla: A kamera poétája. André Kertész fotói a Petőfi Irodalmi Múzeum gyűjteményeiben / Csilla E. Csorba: The Poet of the Camera Photographs by André Kertész in the Collections of the Petőfi Literary Museum
André Kertész in Paris Kertész made an important decision in his life when of his own choice, with family support, and hoping to achieve more artistically and existentially, he travelled to Paris in 1925 and lived there for nearly eleven years. He first lodged in rue Vavin in Montparnasse and it was from there that he first cast a photographer's glance at the city from his window. He first showed his photographs brought from Hungary to his Hungarian acquaintances, then to German experts, and through them he gradually got in touch with the representatives of magazines, artists and gallery owners. He also started to make new friends. He set off on his trips with the curiosity of a newly arrived foreigner and discovered parts of the city, parks, river banks and everyday life others hardly noticed. After his arrival in Paris, wandering along the banks of the Seine, it was not the bustling city and the dazzling metropolitan life that captivated the eye of the still lonely young man who was seeking his own path, it was the often deserted places without people, dark, monolithic forms and peculiar lights and shadows. His is not a tourist’s superficial contemplation, nor a native resident’s familiarity, but some mysteriousness full of curiosity, and a desire to learn and be accepted are reflected in his photographs. His images show his sympathy for the ordinary person, for those who live on the margins of society and sleep on the bank of the Seine, as well as beggars - his own living conditions were still restricted. He had the ability to establish contacts despite the fact that he did not yet speak French. For example, instead of the spoken word he used the flute with his first important foreign acquaintance, Piet Mondrian. His first friends came from the members of the Hungarian émigré circle, artists, politicians and journalists (Lajos Tihanyi, István Beöthy, József Csáky, Marcell Vértes, Gyula Zilzer, Mihály Károlyi, György Bölöni, et al.). He resided in 5 rue de Vanves, but he felt at home in the Döme coffee house. He often photographed his acquaintances of Hungarian roots, who regularly assembled there, taking pictures of them both individually and in groups. He perhaps regarded the painter Lajos Tihanyi as his best friend.12 Tihanyi knew Paris well and was pleased to guide Kertész. His friendly and affable personality was considered a link to Hungarian and foreign artists. The relationship was mutually beneficial: Kertész showed him his recently made photographs he had brought from home, partly hoping for Tihanyi’s opinion, while at the same time 27
