Regards croisés is the result of a collaboration between the Institut pour la photographie des Hauts-de-France and the Musée de la Photographie in Charleroi. By exploring the archives of one and the collection of the other, the curatorial teams from both institutions have created a visual dialogue within the permanent exhibition at the Musée de la Photographie.

Ten thematic sections are dotted throughout the galleries, tracing the history of photography from its origins to the present day. They bring together around forty photographic prints from the archives of Bettina Rheims, Jean-Louis Schoellkopf and Agnès Varda, held by the Institute, with works drawn from the Museum’s collections. The juxtaposition of these images—some of which are on rotation—explores thematic, formal or technical aspects. For instance, a contact sheet of dancers in Cuba by Agnès Varda from 1963 echoes Albert Londe’s chronophotographs from the 1880s, whilst another draws parallels with Jacques Meuris’s botanical motifs; prints from various series by Bettina Rheims dating from 1987 to 2009 are displayed alongside the Surrealist, portrait and music galleries; Jean-Louis Schoellkopf’s documentary approach from the 1980s to 2015 resonates with the prints of August Sander and those of the Belgian photographer Yves Auquier.

Explanatory labels accompany this exhibition, prompting new reflections on photography, its two-hundred-year history and its scientific, cultural and artistic dimensions. They bear witness to the sharing of knowledge and analyses centred on these heritage resources and diverse photographic practices. Organised by the Musée de la Photographie in Charleroi, this initiative enriches the visitor experience of its permanent exhibition and highlights the exchanges with its guest partner, the Institut pour la photographie.

Regards croisés is an event accredited as part of the Bicentenary of Photography by the French Ministry of Culture. It forms part of a selection of several hundred events (exhibitions, symposia, audiovisual screenings and visual literacy projects) to be held in France, Belgium and many other countries.

https://bicentenairephotographie.culture.gouv.fr/