Concept Technical Sheet

ACTORS

Baume & Mercier does not wish to be a mere observer, but instead an active player in a world that resembles it. That is why it has joined with Gerard Rancinan and Caroline Gaudriault in imagining a journey through contemporary photography punctuated by selected encounters around the world with the Living Masters of modern photography.

A renowned photographer accustomed to portraying eminent personalities, Gerard Rancinan has in this case shot portraits of his “colleagues”. All the photographers involved in this project played their part to the full and did their utmost to ensure that their photographic approach was echoed in this portrait by giving genuine individual “performances”.

Caroline Gaudriault talked to each of them about their art and tells the story of this journey through the universal nature of photography. Each of the photographers was chosen for their masterful work, as well as for their commitment and their ability to create their very own photographic world. The journalist thus explores the links between these various worlds, these various personalities and the various questions raised regarding the process of photography.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Albert Watson, Ron Galella, Elliott Erwitt, Patrick Demarchelier, Malick Sidibé, David Burnett, Peter Lindbergh, Martin Parr, Pierre et Gilles, Rankin, Reza, Mimmo Jodice, Mary Ellen Mark, Araki, Antonin Kratochvil, Marc Riboud, Eikoh Hosoe, Oliviero Toscani, Ragnar Axelsson, Sebastiao Salgado, David Lachapelle, James Nachtwey, Roman Opalka – some of the greatest names among photo journalists, artists, portrait specialists, fashion photographers or columnists – all agreed to be part of this project conceived by Baume & Mercier.

THE PROJECT

Baume & Mercier and the Editions de la Martinière become partners to concretize the trip undertaken by Gerard Rancinan and Caroline Gaudriault in a book, « The Photographer ».
With “The Photographer”, Baume & Mercier testifies to its heart-felt involvement in photography and in doing so positions itself as a contemporary watchmaker eager to capture present and future memories.

A unique exhibition is going to birth from this book. It will debut in France in the mezzanine of the Palais de Tokyo from November 11th to 23rd 2008 with a vernissage on Thursday, November 13th, before traveling the world during 2009 and 2010.