Biel photography festival focuses on subjectivity

Photographic subjectivity is the theme of this year's photography festival in Biel, which takes place at locations throughout the city until October 1.

The work of seven photographers from seven countries is being exhibited, all of it examining the role of subjectivity in photography and raising questions about whether objectivity is even possible.

Festival organisers say the theme offers an opportunity for the public to reflect on a fundamental aspect of this branch of the visual arts, through the camera lens of such veterans as the 94-year-old French photojournalist, Paul Almasy.

Almasy’s black and white shots are in sharp contrast with the pictures of the Brazilian, Miguel Rio Branco. The festival’s artistic director, Stefano Stoll, says Branco’s dark red – rather than monochrome – images capture both the reality and atmosphere of Latin America.

Previous photography festivals in Biel were confined mostly to small galleries in the old part of the city, which is the industrial birthplace of Minox, Leica and Hasselbad cameras.

But this year, photographs are also being exhibited in Biel’s three museums – Neuhaus, Schwab and PasquArt. “It’s a very positive development for us,” says Stoll, “because we are now benefiting from their highly professional infrastructures.”

swissinfo with agencies