On 13 June 2023, the world’s first permanent exhibition of Robert Capa’s life’s work, Robert Capa the photojournalist, opened in the new exhibition space of the 10th anniversary Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center.
The unique exhibition presents about 138 photographs from the series, including many that have become iconic, and explores the major stages of the photographer’s life, arranged according to the themes defined by the oeuvre. Robert Capa’s work is important because of the profound impact his images and attitude have had on the public, forever changing the norms of photojournalism, and contributing to the understanding and remembrance of history.
Robert Capa lived only 41 years. Born Endre Friedmann in Budapest on 22 October 1913, he died on a landmine in the Indochina War on 25 May 1954.
His name is among the first and best in the history of photography. The war correspondent, who had seen five battlefields, made his mark in his tragically short life: his photographs of the front and the rear created a school and renewed photojournalism. He photographed the war, the fighting, the soldiers in the trenches and the everyday life of the hinterland from the position of a participant observer, with boundless compassion. He was there with the soldiers; he was in the middle of the action and he documented the events in the immediate vicinity of death. It was this proximity, this participation, that recreated the genre of war photography. As his famous quote goes:
Robert Capa had a major impact on the photojournalism profession and war photography. His images and work have inspired and continue to inspire generations. The ethical principles and dedication that Capa embodied have remained important pillars of the photojournalism profession ever since.
The Robert Capa - The photojournalist exhibition can be seen at Capa Center.
