Martine Franck
Encyclopedia
Martine Franck is a Belgian photographer, and a member of the Magnum Photos
agency. She was the second wife of photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson
after his divorce from Ratna Mohini
, and is president and co-founder of the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation, which administrates his estate.
and at the Ecole du Louvre
in Paris.
From 1963 she worked at Time-Life
in Paris as an assistant to photographers Eliot Elisofon
and Gjon Mili
. Martine Franck met Henri Cartier-Bresson in 1966 when she was photographing Paris fashion shows for the New York Times. They were married in 1970. She worked at Vu (photo agency) in Paris from 1970 to 1971, and co-founded the Viva (photo agency) in 1972.
Franck is not only known for her contribution to the promotion of Cartier-Bresson, but as a photographer in her own right. She became a full member of Magnum Photos in 1983, and has worked for Vogue
magazine, for which she completed a series on women. She has been the official photographer of the Théâtre du Soleil
since 1964 thanks to her friendship with Ariane Mnouchkine
. In 1983 she completed a project for the French Ministry of Women's Rights and in 1985 she collaborated with the International Federation of Little Brothers of the Poor
. In 1993 she first traveled to the Irish island of Tory
where she documented the ancient Gaelic
community. She has also traveled to Tibet
and Nepal
, and with the help of Marilyn Silverstone
photographed the education system of the Tibetan Tulkus monks. In 2003 and 2004 she returned to Paris to document the work of theater director Robert Wilson
who was staging La Fontaine's fables at the Comédie Française.
She now lives in Paris.
Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos is an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographer-members, with offices located in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo...
agency. She was the second wife of photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
after his divorce from Ratna Mohini
Ratna Mohini
Ratna "Elie" Mohini was a Javanese dancer who was the wife of French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson from 1937 to 1967. She was born in Batavia under the name Carolina Jeanne de Souza-Ijke...
, and is president and co-founder of the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation, which administrates his estate.
Biography
Born in Belgium, Franck grew up in the United States and England, and studied art history at the University of MadridUniversity of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a public university in Madrid, Spain, and one of the oldest universities in the world.The University of Madrid may also refer to:* The Autonomous University of Madrid, a public university founded in 1968...
and at the Ecole du Louvre
École du Louvre
The École du Louvre is an institution of higher education and French Grande École located in the Aile de Flore of the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France, and is dedicated to the study of archaeology, art history, anthropology and epigraphy....
in Paris.
From 1963 she worked at Time-Life
Time-Life
Time–Life is a creator and direct marketer of books, music, video/DVD, and multimedia products. Its products are sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia through television, print, retail, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct sales....
in Paris as an assistant to photographers Eliot Elisofon
Eliot Elisofon
Eliot Elisofon was an influential American documentary photographer and photojournalist, known for his work with Life Magazine. He started working for Life Magazine in 1942 and continued until 1964. Some of his best known works are colour photo essays on Africa, the South Pacific, and other...
and Gjon Mili
Gjon Mili
Gjon Mili was an Albanian-American photographer best known for his work published in Life.-Biography:Born to Vasil Mili and Viktori Cekani in Korçë, Albania, Mili came to the United States in 1923. In 1939, Mili landed a job as a freelance photographer for Life...
. Martine Franck met Henri Cartier-Bresson in 1966 when she was photographing Paris fashion shows for the New York Times. They were married in 1970. She worked at Vu (photo agency) in Paris from 1970 to 1971, and co-founded the Viva (photo agency) in 1972.
Franck is not only known for her contribution to the promotion of Cartier-Bresson, but as a photographer in her own right. She became a full member of Magnum Photos in 1983, and has worked for Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
magazine, for which she completed a series on women. She has been the official photographer of the Théâtre du Soleil
Théâtre du Soleil
Le Théâtre du Soleil is a Parisian avant-garde stage ensemble founded by Ariane Mnouchkine, Philippe Léotard and fellow students of the L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in 1964 as a collective of theatre artists. Le Théâtre du Soleil is located at La Cartoucherie, a former munitions...
since 1964 thanks to her friendship with Ariane Mnouchkine
Ariane Mnouchkine
Ariane Mnouchkine is a world-renowned French stage director. She founded the Parisian avant-garde stage ensemble Théâtre du Soleil in 1964. She has written and directed 1789 and Molière , and in 1989, she directed La Nuit Miraculeuse...
. In 1983 she completed a project for the French Ministry of Women's Rights and in 1985 she collaborated with the International Federation of Little Brothers of the Poor
International Federation of Little Brothers of the Poor
The International Federation of Little Brothers of the Poor also known as Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly is a federation of volunteer-based non-profit organizations committed to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly....
. In 1993 she first traveled to the Irish island of Tory
Tory Island
Toraigh is an inhabited island 14.5 km off the northwest coast of County Donegal, Ireland. It is also known in Irish as Oileán Thoraigh, Oileán Thoraí or Oileán Thúr Rí.-Language:The main spoken language on the island is Irish, but English is also understood...
where she documented the ancient Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
community. She has also traveled to Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and with the help of Marilyn Silverstone
Marilyn Silverstone
Marilyn Rita Silverstone was an accomplished photo-journalist and ordained Buddhist nun. Hers would be an eventful life, and she is said to have proclaimed with undeniable truth: "I can say that I did it all."-Youth:...
photographed the education system of the Tibetan Tulkus monks. In 2003 and 2004 she returned to Paris to document the work of theater director Robert Wilson
Robert Wilson (director)
Robert Wilson is an American avant-garde stage director and playwright who has been called "[America]'s — or even the world's — foremost vanguard 'theater artist'". Over the course of his wide-ranging career, he has also worked as a choreographer, performer, painter, sculptor, video...
who was staging La Fontaine's fables at the Comédie Française.
She now lives in Paris.
Publications
Her books include:- Fables de la Fontaine (production by Robert Wilson), Actes Sud. Paris, 2004.
- Martine Franck. Louis Baring. London: Phaidon, 2007. ISBN 978-0714847818
- Martine Franck: Dun jour, l'autre. France: Seuil, 1998. ISBN 978-2020347716
- Martine Franck: One Day to the Next. Aperture, 2005. ISBN 978-0893818456
- Martine Franck: Photo Poche. France: Actes Sud, 2007. ISBN 978-2742767250
- Martine Franck Photographe. Paris: A. Biro, 2002. ISBN 978-2876603462
- Tibetan Tulkus, images of continuity. London: Anna Maria Rossi & Fabio Rossi Publications, 2000. ISBN 978-0952099284
- Tory Island Images. Wolfhound Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0863275616
- Women/Femmes, Steidl, 2010. ISBN 978-3869301495