Photo Elysée takes a critical look at its colonial archives
Photo Elysée takes a fresh look at the archives of the Lehnert & Landrock studio, which entered the Lausanne museum's collections in 1985. The aim is to offer a decolonial approach to these photographs, taken at the beginning of the 20th century in North Africa.
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While the work of Rudolf Franz Lehnert and Ernst Heinrich Landrock has long been praised for its technical qualities, it has also “actively conveyed a constructed and submissive vision of the Orient”, writes Photo Elysée in its press kit. Its exhibition, on view from Friday until 1 February 2026, aims to offer a “critical and introspective re-reading” of these archives.
Photo Elysée has set up a scientific committee to design the exhibition. The aim is to study in particular “the political and aesthetic dimensions” of these images produced “in the context of Western expansionist ventures and representative of the Orientalist movement”.
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According to Photo Elysée, these photographs form an imaginary of the Orient that is “archaic, passive and deliberately blurred”. The impact of these images was all the greater because they were widely distributed, in the form of postcards, albums, portfolios and other book illustrations.
To enrich this reflection, Photo Elysée has invited the Spanish artist Gloria Oyarzabal. “Her contemporary approach questions the way in which museums approach collections linked to colonial history”, the press release continues. The Saudi artist Nouf Aljowaysir has also been invited to show how artificial intelligence “extends and reinforces” the stereotypes associated with the representation of the Orient.
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Translated from French by DeepL/ds
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