In the second of four articles tracing the career of Michael Kenna, Michael discusses the influence of the Hungarian-French photographer Gyula Halász (1899-1984) or Brassaï (the pseudonym by which he has become much better known), known primarily for his dramatic photographs of Paris at night in the 1930s. Brassaï’s work blurred the lines between street photography and fine art, and depicted the unseen side of the city, including private gatherings, criminal activities, and workers emerging from their long night shifts.
“Night does not show things, it suggests them. It disturbs and surprises us with its strangeness. It liberates forces within us which are dominated by our reason during the daytime.” Brassaï
Michael Kenna | Reflections of Brassaï (1899-1984)
“Brassaï and Bill Brandt were contemporaries, and masters of the medium of night photography. They had great respect and admiration for each other. Brassaï's book, Paris by Night (1933) was the model for Brandt’s book, A Night in London (1938). I began my own night photography explorations during my student days in London before I even knew of their photographs. However, studying their inspired work, and that of Alfred Steigliz’s night studies in New York, later provided me with the fuel required to convert latent proclivities into concrete action. We are all influenced and shaped by many factors, including genetics, geography and experiences. Timing is everything, or so we are told. So, to put it in clearer terms, Brassaï, Brandt and Steiglitz collectively gave me a necessary kick up the backside when I needed it most.
Le Pont Neuf, Paris, France 1936 © Brassaï
Brassaï would wander around Paris in the middle of the night photographing whatever he saw, both indoors and out. His images of the gargoyles on the top of Notre-Dame and the bridges along the Seine are iconic. I think that my three photographs below have obvious echoes of his work and are acknowledged as such. I have no doubt that consciously or unconsciously, Brassaï’s eyes were guiding mine in 1983 when I was making the photograph underneath a railway bridge which spanned the River Thames just outside London. The mist, lighting and atmosphere at the time felt strangely familiar. I like to think that perhaps Brassaï would have made a similar, albeit probably better photograph, if he had actually been there.
River Thames, (Homage to Brassai), London, England 1983 © Michael Kenna
My photograph of the Pont Neuf nine years later was a deliberate homage to Brassaï. I walked along the Seine during the night, imagined following Brassaï's footsteps, and I searched for his point of view. This is something I have done with a number of photographers that I greatly admire. It is an enormously satisfying way to learn how another photographer works.
Pont Neuf, (Merci Brassai), Paris, France 1992 © Michael Kenna
My view from the top of the Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey in 1998 may not have the same perspective as Brassaï’s from the Notre-Dame Abbey, but again, the influence from the master cannot be understated. For those not familiar with la belle langue Français, "clin d’oeil" means a wink, another way to say thank you. Brassaï’s work has been an inspiration throughout my career, and it continues to thrill me today. I am enormously appreciative.” Michael Kenna, 2020
Clin d'Oeil a Brassai, Mont St. Michel, France 1998 © Michael Kenna
