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Moments of Respite
Moments of Respite
Elliott Erwitt
February 22, 2022
Elliott Erwitt: Automat, New York City, 1953
© Elliott Erwitt, courtesy of Galerie Esther Woerdehoff
Through to March 5, 2022, Galerie Esther Woerdehoff in Geneva dedicates a poignant exhibition to the work of American Leica photographer Elliott Erwitt. ‘Found Not Lost’ presents the artist’s oeuvre from two different perspectives: that of the brilliant Magnum photographer, who highlights the absurdity of the human condition in audaciously humorous images; and that of a man in the last phase of his life who, in 2018, decided to revisit works from the early stages of his career – and re-examine them far from the bustle of commissions that characterised that time.
Working his way through this sea of contact sheets, Erwitt was able to listen to the voice of the young photographer he once was – and assess his vision from a new vantage point. The previously unpublished photographs emanate a unique, melancholic power: the languor that permeates these black-and-white scenes is worlds away from the glamorous portraits of movie stars, the acerbic humour of his dog series, or the Hollywood pictures Erwitt is usually associated with. Instead, these are images on the periphery of his oeuvre, captured in rare moments of respite.
For further information visit
Galerie Esther Woerdehoff
Elliott Erwitt
Working his way through this sea of contact sheets, Erwitt was able to listen to the voice of the young photographer he once was – and assess his vision from a new vantage point. The previously unpublished photographs emanate a unique, melancholic power: the languor that permeates these black-and-white scenes is worlds away from the glamorous portraits of movie stars, the acerbic humour of his dog series, or the Hollywood pictures Erwitt is usually associated with. Instead, these are images on the periphery of his oeuvre, captured in rare moments of respite.
For further information visit
Galerie Esther Woerdehoff
Elliott Erwitt
ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: © Elliott Erwitt
Elliott Erwitt+-
Was born in Paris on July 26, 1928. He spent his childhood in Milan, until his family moved back to Paris in 1938, and emigrated to the USA the following year. That was where he discovered photography. He has been a member of the Magnum Agency since 1953, and has acted as its president on various occasions. Journalistic assignments alternated with commercial ones, while personal projects developed alongside. In the seventies, Erwitt turned increasingly to film. He produced documentaries, as well as a series of television comedies in the eighties. He lived in New York City. In 2023, he was honoured with the Leica Hall of Fame Award and celebrated with accompanying exhibitions at the Leica Gallery in Wetzlar and in New York. Erwitt passed away in New York City on November 29, 2023. More
Elliott Erwitt: Automat, New York City, 1953
© Elliott Erwitt, courtesy of Galerie Esther Woerdehoff
Elliott Erwitt: New York City, 1946
© Elliott Erwitt, courtesy of Galerie Esther Woerdehoff
Elliott Erwitt: Provence, 1955
© Elliott Erwitt, courtesy of Galerie Esther Woerdehoff
Elliott Erwitt: Saintes Maries de la Mer, 1977
© Elliott Erwitt, courtesy of Galerie Esther Woerdehoff