‘You can feel the emotion’: French photographer Willy Ronis’ images depicting the beauty of everyday life in ‘special’ Hong Kong show
- ‘Capturing Life’ is an exhibition of works by the late humanist photography pioneer Willy Ronis, who was known for his poetic depictions of everyday life
- Its curator, Vanessa Franklin, who was mentored by Ronis, tells the Post ‘why people are still touched’ by the Frenchman’s photos
Industrial is the best way to describe The Loft in Hong Kong’s Wong Chuk Hang neighbourhood.
But step out of the bright yellow doors of a rattling lift and into Boogie Woogie Photography and you are met with an elegant slice of France.
Scattered around the eighth-floor space are pieces of 18th century furniture and decorative art from Kraemer Gallery, the oldest family-owned gallery in Paris. But it is the black-and-white images by French photographer Willy Ronis (1910-2009) that grab the most attention.
Ronis was a pioneer of humanist photography, a French movement that emerged after World War II and focused on the everyday human experience.
Many of his iconic images feature in “Capturing Life: The Photography of Willy Ronis”, on show at Boogie Woogie Photography until October 21, the photos selected from the private collection of Stephane Kovalsky, Ronis’ grandson.
