RIP Christian Caujolle

[Guillaume Zuili]

He was not a photographer. Photo editor of Liberation newspaper, he then created Vu Agency then Vu Gallery in Paris.
Any young photographer dreamed to join that new VU, the "Libé style"that changed so much photography in the press in France at that time.
Also curator, writer of so many books about photographers and photography.
His influence on this medium was huge.
I was in my early 20's when I first opened the door of VU. He is the one that launched me in the career. Like he did for many others.
It was in 1988.. That was like yesterday.
Very hard to digest the news and too far from Paris right now to be close to the many friends that mourn.

Christian Caujolle

Christian Caujolle was one of the major figures of contemporary photography. Journalist, critic, curator, and tireless champion of images, he left a profound mark on the photographic landscape of the past fifty years.Founder of the VU’ agency in...

www.rencontres-arles.com

 

[Carnie Bob]

I am sorry for your Loss Guillaume

Bob

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

I am sorry for your Loss Guillaume

Bob

Thank you Bob

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Mes plus sincères condoléances, Guillaume. Depuis sa disparition, je lis de magnifiques témoignages, dont cet article dans Le Monde.

Christian Caujolle, passeur majeur de la photographie en France, est mort

Décédé le 20 octobre à 72 ans, cet ancien directeur photo de « Libération » avait fondé l’agence VU et été commissaire de multiples expositions. Une carrière assombrie par une plainte pour agression sexuelle à la fin de sa vie.

www.lemonde.fr

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Merci Alex.
Helas je ne suis plus abonné au Monde depuis peu.

I’m going to switch to english now.

The early years of VU were amazing. There was no cell phone, no internet. The Agency was like a hive. We, photographers, were spending a lot of time together coming with boxes full of prints or contact sheets or slides. They were coming from all over the world. And Christian would come and make the selections. Give advices and tell stories.

His vision was to make an agency of authors not a regular press agency. People with a signature being portraitist or war photographers, any kind but with a signature. For a while the magic worked.

These times of sharing were so precious. Amazing friendships were born from people that are usually alone in their worlds.

And it would continue in cafes and into the nights. I didn’t realize how precious and unique it was.
Today no more editing room, no more photographers coming in the agency.
No need.
Internet killed that kind of sharing and humanity.

I cannot thank him enough.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I am sorry your loss of a mentor, Guillaume.

 

[images39]

I'm sincerely sorry your loss, Guillaume.

Dale

 

[prado333]

O remember saw in the 90s work from Paolo Pellegrin , Stanley Greene and many others . An open window of fantastic works from very different Photographers all over the World.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Thank you all

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

O remember saw in the 90s work from Paolo Pellegrin , Stanley Greene and many others . An open window of fantastic works from very different Photographers all over the World.

2 close friends from that period, Stanley passed away way too early.

 

[Old_Dick]

Very sorry for the loss of your friend. The world needs more people like Christian Caujolle.

 

[snusmumriken]

I'm interested in how a person in that rôle functions. To encourage particular photographers and ways of photographing, and to build the reputation of an agency, one must presumably also criticise, discourage and reject others. How does/did someone like Christian Caujolle handle that delicate aspect?

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

I'm interested in how a person in that rôle functions. To encourage particular photographers and ways of photographing, and to build the reputation of an agency, one must presumably also criticise, discourage and reject others. How does/did someone like Christian Caujolle handle that delicate aspect?

That's a vast question.
Encyclopedic knowledge of photographic history, immense curiosity to anything new or not known yet, Christian was breathing for photography and nothing else. Kindness is the word that comes first in my mind. So his door was always open at the agency. When you have someone that is that legitimate like him, you listen and you take the advise seriously. Good or bad critic you take it !
It was fun, he would share to everybody around when he found some new photographers.
And all of that used to continue way after work hours at night in cafes, in openings and in parties.

 

[snusmumriken]

That's a vast question.
Encyclopedic knowledge of photographic history, immense curiosity to anything new or not known yet, Christian was breathing for photography and nothing else. Kindness is the word that comes first in my mind. So his door was always open at the agency. When you have someone that is that legitimate like him, you listen and you take the advise seriously. Good or bad critic you take it !
It was fun, he would share to everybody around when he found some new photographers.
And all of that used to continue way after work hours at night in cafes, in openings and in parties.

That sounds an amazing scene to have been involved in. Thanks for the insight. Sad that I can’t sit you down with a bottle of wine and ask you more!