Peter KNAPP
Introduction
Peter Knapp was born in 1931, in Baeretschwill in Suitzerland. After completing a course in painting, he applied to the Zürich School of Decorative Arts, in the section of Graphic Arts. There he discovered photography, and worked as an intern at Monticelli's workshop (from 1948 to 1950).
In 1951, he moved to Paris where he started learning how to draw at the Beaux Arts de Paris and then at the Julian Academy. In 1953, he worked as a graphic designer for Paul Marquet. The following year, he became the artistic director of the Nouveau Fémina, a job he kept for two years. Concurrently, he worked for the Galeries Lafayette until 1959, when he was hired to be the artistic director of Elle magazine. He would stay in-post until 1966 and then from 1974 to 1978. In this context, he produced his first fashion photos. He also realized photo-reports. His activities were diverse: he worked as set designer for plays, including plays of Max Frish and Eugène Ionesco.
From 1965 to 1968, he directed forty documentary films as part of the show Dim, Dam, Dom, a record of the culture of his time. His interest for fashion led him to collaborate with designers: he worked for Courrèges with whom he stayed very close and Ungaro. In 1968, he worked as artistic director for the Rencontre and André Sauret editions while pursuing his photo-reports. He worked as a press photographer: Vogue, Stern, Elle, Sunday Times (doing photo-reports, portraits, fashion pictures). In 1974, he presented his first major personal exhibition in Basel and has since then carried on exhibiting with work regularly. His interest for contemporary art led him to be in charge of the layout of a book collection edited by the Centre Georges Pompidou in 1981.
In 2002, he directed three films on the history of photography for TV5 and in 2006, a 52 minutes documentary film Van Gogh, les derniers jours à Anvers [Van Gogh: the last days in Antwerp].
Peter Knapp is a member of the Rencontres de Lurs (the Lurs Meetings), the A.G.I. (Alliance Graphique Internationale [International Graphic Alliance]) and maître de conférence at Sciences-Po.
Biography
Solo exhibitions
2018
- Peter Knapp et la mode, Cité de la Mode et du Design, Paris, France
2017
- Quand la photographie de mode devient art, Galerie Berthet-Aittouares, Paris, France
- Elles, galerie baudoin lebon, Paris, France
- Peter Knapp illustrateur, Musée Tomi Unger, Strasbourg, France
2016
- L'homme est partout, Carzou Foundation, Manosque, France
- L'homme est partout, Stämpfli Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
2014
- Rio sur Seine, Art and History Museum, Saint-Denis, France
- Artpassions Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
- Elles, 101 regards sur les femmes, Swiss Museum in Geneva, Switzerland
2012
- L'écriture ou la vie de Jorge Semprun, baudoin lebon, Paris, France
- Profil de l'eau, with Rafael Navarro, baudoin lebon, Paris, France
2009
- Tinguely Museum, Basel, Switzerland
- Nicephore Niepce Museum, Chalon-sur-Saône, France
- Giacometti House, Stampa, Switzerland
2008
- European House of Photography, Paris, France
- FIAF Gallery (French Institute - Alliance Française), New York, USA
- Beyeler Gallery, Klosters-Serneus, Switzerland
- Transfotografia, Gdansk, Poland
2006
- Il n'y avait pas que du mazout, baudoin lebon, Paris, France
2005
- La couleur de ma peau, Carreau d?Art, Cergy-Pontoise, France
2002
- Minuit à Fécamp, French Institute of Marrakech, Marocco
1993-1996
- Photos d'elles. Temps de pose : 1950-1990, Michèle Auer, Photography's Center and Halles de l'Ile, Geneva, Switzerland
- EPA Gérard Philippe House, Cergy-Pontoise, France
- Museum of cloths, Lyon, France
- Synkiria 96, Thessaloniki Design Museum, Greece
1992
- Ceps de vigne, Malescot Saint-Exupéry Castel, Margaux, France
- Museum, Brive-la-Gaillarde, France
- 35 maculations sur Alberto Giacometti, Littmann Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
1991
- Europa Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
- Comme des oiseaux, Magasin Jelmoli, Zurich, Switzerland
- Anges et démons, Juan Guaita Gallery, Palma de Majorque, Spain
- Porte de la Suisse, Paris, France
- Contemporary art center, Besançon, France
- Italian cultural institute, Lyon, France
1990
- Le grand maquillage, Art Expo, Tokyo, Japan
- Ex-Photos, Paris Art Center, Paris, France
- Art Transition, MIT, Center for Advanced Visual Studies, Boston, USA
1989
- Souvenirs, Crépuscules, Swiss cultural center, Paris, France
- 7 situations d'art, FRAC Franche-Comté, Belfort Museum, France
1988
Drapeaux, Europa Gallery, Paris, France
- Black Horses, Kunsthalle, Berlin, Germany
- Ex-corpus, Photography's Center, Geneva, Switzerland
- Aéro-Flag, Swiss cultural center, Paris, France
1987
- Sky-Art, Fine Arts Museum, Dôle, France
- Montrouge's Exhibition, France
- Photos de command et autres, Museum of Bochum, Germany
1986
- Paris-Zurich : 17 Photographies en plein Vol, Atelier des Forges, Arles, France
- Espace et Image, Paris Art Center, Paris, France
1984
- 300 images N/N 1960-1980, Les Ciels, Portfolio Gallery, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Aéroglyphes, Denise René Gallery, Paris, France
Group exhibitions (selected)
2016
- Nuits photographiques, Festival, Pierrevert, France
- Photo London, with baudoin lebon, London, UK
- Art Elysées, with baudoin lebon, Paris, France
2012
- Paris Photo, with baudoin lebon, Paris, France
2009
- Les nuages? Là-bas? Les merveilleux nuages, Malraux Museum, Le Havre, France
2008
- La Mode 60, Colisée's Gallery, Lille, France
2007
- Festival Transphotographiques, le Tri Postal, Lille, France
2006
- Un siècle de couleurs et des photographies, Nicéphore Niépcen Museum, Chalon-sur-Saône, France
2005
- Photo suisse, Il rapporto fra le immagini srg Pro Helvetia, Swiss institute, Roma, Italy
2004
- Collection, M+M Auer, une histoire de la photographie, Theater of photography and image, Nice, France
- Bling Bling, Tissus de rêve de Saint-Gall, Landesmuseum, Zurich, Switzerland
2003
- Strassenbilder, Littmann production, Basel, Switzerland
2001
- Les années POP, Georges Pompidou Center, Paris, France
- Look at me, Milton Keynes Gallery, United-Kingdom
2000
- Le siècle du corps, photographies 1900-2000, Culturgest, Lisbonne, Portugal
- Elysée Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Mutation Mode 1960-2000, Galliera Museum, Paris, France
public collections
- Photography's center, Geneva, Switzerland
- L'Huillier Collection, Geneva, Switzerland
- Foundation for swiss photography, Zurich, Switzerland
- Plastics Arts Found, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Nicéphore Niépce Museum, Chalon-sur-Saône, France
Exhibitions
