Author Description

"In October 2005, the city of Dunkerque in the north of France invited William Eggleston - considered one of the fathers of fine-art color photography - to cast his iconic glance on the city. Leaving his native Mississippi, Eggleston traveled to Dunkerque to explore its industrial districts, its famous port, and to observe the unique mixture of French and Dutch culture that exists in the city. From this collaboration between artist and place comes a body of work that cuts through the stereotypes of French life and reveals the heart of the historic city re-framed in Eggleston's strongly graphic, prototypically American compositions. In June 2006 these photographs will be presented for the first time at LAAC (Lieu d'Art et Action Contemporaine) in an exhibition entitled Spirit of Dunkerque, organized under the direction of Aude Cordonnier, chief conservator for the organization of museums of Dunkerque. In conjunction with the opening of this exhibition, the town of Dunkerque and editions Biro are proud to present a catalogue featuring fifty photographs - ten more than appear in the show itself - and which includes three short texts about the work. In Dutch and French."--Publisher.