Kahitsukan • Kyoto Contemporary Museum of Art

Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004) was a highly influential French photographer active throughout the 20th century. After experimenting with different art forms in his early years, including music, painting, and acting, he pioneered the street-photography movement and became famous for his candid black-and-white shots. Cartier-Bresson, an army corporal photographer who documented the Nazi occupation and France’s subsequent liberation during WWII, had a gift for capturing emotive scenes between historical figures and everyday people. He traveled the world during his career with a Leica 35mm rangefinder camera, which he wrapped in black tape to avoid drawing attention from his subjects, covering events such as the Russian liberation and the death of Mahatma Gandhi. According to Cartier-Bresson, being a successful photographer involved having the skill, timing, and creativity to capture a “decisive moment.” Kahitsukan invites viewers to observe a selection of some 60 original prints signed by Henri Cartier-Bresson himself.

Henri Cartier-Bresson Exhibition • Until Jun 18 • Open: 10am–5:30pm • Closed: Mon • Admission: ¥1,000 • Access: Keihan line, Shijo Stn, 3-min walk • Tel: 075-525-1311 • kahitsukan.or.jp