ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ

EXHIBITION Jun 10 — Sep 3, 2011

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

from the series 'Clochards and Industry' (New York), 1938

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1938

11,2 x 7,8 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Looking over rooftops at river, April 3, 1947

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1947

17,2 x 17,1 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Tugboat series (New York), 1939

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1939

24,8 x 19,9 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Brick Walls, October 23, 1961, 1961

gelatin silver print, printed later, from the Portfolio II (1930-1972) published by Light Gallery New York, 1973

ca. 25 x 20 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Clock of the Académie Francaise, Paris, 1929

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1960s

21,8 x 15,8 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

RUDOLF KICKEN (1947–2014)

Self-portrait with André Kertész, January 26, 1976, 1976

gelatin silver print, mounted to 2 ply museum board, printed ca. 1976

12 x 18,5 cm

© Estate of Rudolf Kicken

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Self-portrait (diving), Hungary, 1917

gelatin silver contact print, printed ca. 1917

5,1 x 4 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Self portrait with brother, Imre, Hungary, 1923

gelatin silver contact print, printed ca. 1923

3,2 x 3,7 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Untitled (Kertész' brother Jenö jumping), 1920

gelatin silver contact print, printed ca. 1920

3,3 x 5,1 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Afternoon #15, 1928

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1928

34,1 x 24,5 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Chez Mondrian, Paris, 1926

gelatin silver print on carte postale, printed ca. 1926

10,8 x 7,8 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Edwin Rosskam, 1927

gelatin silver print on carte postale, printed ca. 1927

10,8 x 6,1 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Girl in Room (portrait of Eva Revai), 1927

gelatin silver print on carte postale, printed ca. 192

9 x 5,8 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Distortion #123, Paris, 1933

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1960s

18,5 x 23,3 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Distortion # 6, Paris, 1933

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

24,3 x 16,3 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Distortion #41, Paris, 1933

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1960s

24,6 x 18,4 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Distortion #80, Paris, 1933

gelatin silver contact print, printed ca. 1960s

11,5 x 8,7 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Nude, Paris, 1933

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1960s

24,5 x 19,8 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Distortion #147, Paris, 1933

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1960s

12,2 x 17,2 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

African Sculptures, Paris, 1927

gelatin silver print on carte postale, mounted, printed ca. 1927

7,4 x 7,6 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Magda Förstner (Paris), 1926

gelatin silver print, printed 1950s

34,6 x 24,2 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Satiric Dancer, Paris, 1926

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1926

9,7 x 7,9 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Studio de montage à Montparnasse, 1925

gelatin silver print, mounted, printed ca. 1935

23,9 x 19,4 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Untitled (Elizabeth sleeping), ca. 1930

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1930

18,1 x 23,9 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Asnieres (Paris), 1928

gelatin silver print, printed ca. late 1950s - early 1960

24,9 x 18,7 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Fork, Paris, 1928

gelatin silver print, printed no later than 1964

18,8 x 24,7 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

The Fork, Paris, 1928

gelatin silver print, mounted, printed ca. 1967

20,1 x 24,6 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

The Fork, Paris, 1928

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1935

23,6 x 29,4 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

The Fork, Paris, 1928

gelatin silver print, printed 1928

7,6 x 9,3 cm / 7,8 x 9,5 cm (sheet size)

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Egg slicer (New York), 1941

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1941

24,5 x 20 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Chairs, The Medici Fountain, Paris, 1925

gelatin silver print, mounted, printed ca. 1935

23,5 x 27,4 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Laundry lines and fire escapes (New York), 1944

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1944

24,6 x 19,8 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Self-portrait, Paris, before 1928

gelatin silver print on carte postale, printed before 1928

11,1 x 7,5 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Portrait of a woman, Paris (sitter unknown), before 1928

gelatin silver print on carte postale, printed before 1928

10,9 x 6,8 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Sandor Marai, Paris, ca. 1925-1926

gelatin silver print on carte postale, printed ca. 1925-1926

9,8 x 7,1 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Chez Mondrian, Paris, 1926

gelatin silver print, printed later

35,6 x 27,8 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Broken Bench, September 20 1962, New York, 1962

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

17 x 24,5 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Lajos Tihanyi (Künstler), Paris, 1926

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

24,5 x 17,1 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Ripples, Hungary, 11 May, 1913

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

17,6 x 16,9 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Fan/ Arm and Ventilator, December, 1937

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

23,1 x 19,6 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Meudon (Im Vordergrund Maler Willi Baumeister), 1928

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

24,5 x 19,7 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Sidewalk, 1929

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

24,5 x 19,2 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Víz alatt/ Underwater Swimmer, Esztergom, 31 August, 1917

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

17,8 x 24,6 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Untitled (Blick vom Fenster), ca. 1962

gelatin silver print, from the portfolio published by Light Gallery New York 1973

24,5 x 19,6 cm

© Estate of André Kertész / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

The work of André Kertész (1894–1985) is the focus of the summer exhibition at Kicken Berlin. Kertész is currently being honored with a retrospective, which after stations at Jeu de Paume in Paris and the Fotomuseum Winterthur will be on view at Berlin’s Martin-Gropius-Bau from June 11 on. Kicken Berlin presents numerous vintage prints from Kertész’s creative periods in Hungary, Paris, and New York.
A major individualist of the avant-garde, Kertész always followed his intuition and his feel for the unusual, poetic, and surreal in everyday things. Kertész found his ideal terrain in Paris in 1925. He considered himself an amateur in the best sense, one who shied away from professional perfectionism and trusted his intuition.
Kertész created some of his most well-known works while in the artist circles of Montparnasse: the still life Chez Mondrian (1926) in the artist’s atelier, or the scenes with dancer Magda Förstner, who in the images enters into a grotesque dialogue with sculptures by Hungarian artist Etienne Beöthy. Kertész’s view from above onto the streets and squares of Paris below isolates geometric structures; cropped close-ups draw the viewer’s attention to the graphic effects of light and shadow. In Distortions (beginning in 1932), photographed with the help of a distorting mirror, Kertész alienates female nudes, portraits, and still lifes, transforming them into sensually bizarre forms. In New York, where Kertész lived from 1936 on, he remained a silent observer and finder of images; cropped pictures, reflections, and that familiar gaze from the window or other high elevation remained his preferred motifs.
One of the most famous images in the history of photography deserves particular note: the still life The Fork (1928). In addition to one of the rarest vintage prints in the characteristic postcard format, an early print from the 1930s and two later prints reveal the photographer’s method for always interpreting his work anew.