France and Germany mark major photography anniversaries

France and Germany are hosting various commemorations related to the history of photography. In France, the Ministry of Culture is leading a national bicentennial celebration from September 2026 to September 2027, themed ‘Célébrons les regards’. This initiative explores the medium's evolution from Nicéphore Niépce’s invention in 1826 to modern digital imaging and artificial intelligence. Toulouse is a key participant, featuring the exhibition ‘Les vies de la photographie’ at Le Château d’Eau, which brings together collections from the Musée des Arts Précieux Paul-Dupuy, the Musée Georges-Labit, and Le Château d’Eau to trace technical and cultural heritage.

In Germany, the Saarland region is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the ‘subjektive fotografie’ (subjective photography) exhibition. Originally initiated by Otto Steinert at the State School of Art and Crafts, this movement represented the first photographic avant-garde of the 1950s. The movement emphasized free design and experimental techniques such as photograms, pseudosolarization, negative prints, and photomontage. The historical exhibition originally featured 725 exhibits, including works by László Moholy-Nagy, Herbert Bayer, and Man Ray.