Bruno Barbey is a Frenchman born in Morocco. He studied photography and graphic arts at the École des Arts et Métiers in Vevey, Switzerland. Between 1961 and 1964 he photographed the Italians, treating them as protagonists of a small 'theatrical world', with the aim of capturing the spirit of a nation. During the 1960s, he was commissioned by Éditions Rencontre in Lausanne to report from European and African countries. He also contributed regularly to Vogue. Barbey began his relationship with in 1964, becoming a full member in 1968, the year he documented the political unrest and student riots in Paris. A decade later, between 1979 and 1981, he photographed Poland at a turning point in its history, publishing his work in the widely acclaimed book Poland. He served as Magnum vice president for Europe in 1978 and 1979 and as President of Magnum International from 1992 - 1995 Over four decades Barbey has journeyed across five continents and into numerous military conflicts. Although he rejects the label of 'war photographer', he has covered civil wars in Nigeria, Vietnam, the Middle East, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Kuwait. His work has appeared in most of the world's major magazines. Barbey is known particularly for his free and harmonious use of colour. He has frequently worked in Morocco, the country of his childhood. In 1999 the Petit Palais, Paris, organized a large exhibition of photographs that Barbey had taken in Morocco during the previous three decades. He has received many awards for his work, including the French National Order of Merit; his photographs have been exhibited internationally and are in numerous museum collections.
Education
1959-1960 Photography and Graphic Arts, Ecole des Arts et Métiers, Vevey, Switzerland
Exhibitions
2014 Morocco, Marmaris Fotofest, Turkey
2014 Morocco: A Scorching Beauty, The Empty Quarter Gallery, Dubai, UAE
2013 Morroco, Bursa, Turkey.
2013 China in Kodachrome 1973 - 1980, Yunnan Provincial Museum, Kunming, China
2012 China in Kodachrome 1973 - 1980, Beaugeste photo Gallery, Shanghai, China.
2011 Istanbul, Festival Photomed, Sanary-sur-Mer, France.
2011 Oman 1971 by Bruno Barbey, Bait Al Baranda, Mascate, Sultanate of Oman.
2010 Shanghai Universelle, Galerie Lipao-Huang, Paris, France.
2010 Istanbul, Yapikredi Kultur Sanat Yayincilik, Istanbul, Turkey.
2009 A Procura de um Olhar, Pinacoteca do Estado de Sao Paulo, Brazil.
2009 Italyanlar (The Italians), Yapikredi Kultur Sanat Yayincilik, Istanbul, Turkey.
2008 My Morocco by Bruno Barbey, Gallery M, Seoul, Korea.
2008 Paris Tokyo 68, Willy-Brandt-Haus, Berlin, Germany.
2008 Paris Tokyo 68, Cajasol, Sala de exposiciones 'Rey Chico", Granada, Spain
2008 68 by Bruno Barbey, Sala Vimcours, Cordoba, Spain
2008 Paris Tokyo 68, Cajasol, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
2008 May 68, Fotografevi Galeri, Istanbul, Turkey.
2008 May 68, Salle de L'Hôtel Fontfreyde, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
2008 May 68, Galerie des Editions du Pacifique, Paris, France.
2008 Mai 68, Institut français, Prague, Czech Republic.
2008 Mai 68, Base sous-marine, Bordeaux, France.
2008 Visiones de Marruecos, Palais El Badi, Marrakech, Morocco.
2007 Marokko Panoramiques, Kunstraum, Potsdam, Germany.
2007 Bulgarie, 'Eurovisions', Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium.
2007 Visiones de Marruecos, Galerie Mohamed Kacimi, Fez, Morocco.
2007 Visiones de Marruecos, Ecole d'Arts et Métiers d'Arts, Tetuan, Morocco.
2007 Visiones de Marruecos, Cathédrale Sacré-Coeur, Casablanca, Morocco.
2007 Visiones de Marruecos, Instituto Cervantes en Tanger, Tanger, Morocco.
2007 Visiones de Marruecos, Théatre National Mohmmed V, Rabat, Morocco.
2007 Impressions du Maroc, Galerie des Editions du Pacifique, Paris, France.
2006 Visiones de Marruecos, Fundacion Tres Culturas del Mediterraneo, Sevilla, Spain.
2006 Marruecos - Canal de Isabel 2, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain.
2006 Marokko - Willy-Brandt-Haus, Berlin, Germany.
2005 Le Maroc, Palais de la culture, Puteaux, France.
2004 Maroc, Photogallerie, Montpellier, France.
2003 Les Italiens, Galleries FNAC, various cities in France and Europe.
2002 Los Italianos, Sala de Exposiciones Garcigrance, Salamanca, Spain.
2002 Maroc, Le Botanique, Brussels, Belgium.
2001 Bruno Barbey, Singer Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA.
1999 Fès, Hôtel de Ville, Strasbourg, France.
1999 Bruno Barbey: Maroc, Petit Palais, Paris, France.
1999 Les Italiens, Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris, France.
1999 Fès, Galerie du Château d’Eau, Toulouse, France.
1998 Mai 68, Galerie Beaubourg, Vence, France.
1998 Mai 68, Galerie Unita, Milan, Italy.
1997 Fès, galleries FNAC, various cities, France.
1997 Fès, Gallerie Mohammed El-Fassi, Rabat, Morocco.
1997 Fès, Musée Batha, Fès, Morocco.
1996 Fès, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France.
1990 Le Maroc, Centre Culturel Le Port, La Réunion, France.
1985 Les Italiens, Galerie Magnum Paris, France.
1983 Pologne, Galleries FNAC, various cities, France.
1983 Poland, Museo d’Arte Moderna, Rome, Italy; Nikon Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland.
1982 Portraits d’Asie, Galerie Olympus, Paris; Tokyo; Hamburg.
1978 Carnet de Route, Salon de la Photographie, Paris, France.
1972 Rétrospective, Galerie Nikon, Paris, France.
1967 Photos d’Italie, Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, France.
Select Permanent Collections
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
Petit Palais, Musée des Beaux Arts de la ville de Paris, Paris, France
Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris, Paris, France
Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France
Maison Européenne de La Photographie, Paris, France
Musée Le Botanique, Bussels, Belgium
Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, Japan
Royal Museum of Fine Art, Brussels, Belgium
Istambul Modern, Istanbul, Turkey
National Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Harry Ransom Center collection, UT, Austin, Texas
Lhoist collection, Belgium
NSM. Vie/Abn Amro, Paris
Fond National d’Art Contemporain, Paris
Books
2014 Chine, published by Les éditions du Pacifique.
2012 Bruno Barbey , Fotocep,published by Fotografevi.
2012 China in Kodachrome 1973 - 1980, Beaugeste photo Gallery, Shanghai, China.
2011 Oman 1971, The Empty Quarter Gallery.
2010 Shanghai, boxed set.
2008 1968, published by Fotografei, Istanbul, Turkey.
2008 68 and May 68, Bruno Barbey's notebook (with of 15" film by Caroline Thienot Barbey), Creaphis, France.
2003-2004 Maroc, Editions de la Martinière, France / My Morocco, Thames & Hudson, UK / Marokko, Knesebeck, Germany.
2002 Les Italiens, Editions de la Martinière, France; The Italians, Abrams, USA.
2001 Le Paris de Sartre et Beauvoir,photographie du Paris d'aujourd'hui by Bruno Barbey, published by Edition du Chene.
2000 Essaouira, Editions du Chêne, France.
1999 Photo Poche, Editions Nathan, France.
1998 Mai 68, Editions de la Différence, France.
1997 Gens des nuages, with JMG Le Clézio, Editions Stock, France.
1996 Fès, immobile, immortelle, Editions Imprimerie Nationale, France.
1988 Portugal, Hoffmann & Campe, Germany.
1984 Le Gabon, Editions du Chêne, France.
1982 Pologne, Editions Arthaud, France / Poland, Thames & Hudson, UK / Polen, Hoffmann & Campe, Germany.
1979 Bombay, Time & Life Books, Netherlands.
1978 Nigeria, Editions Jeune Afrique, France.
1976 Iran, Editions Jeune Afrique.
1974 Ceylan, Editions André Barret, France.
1968 Ecosse, Editions Rencontre, Switzerland.
1967 Koweït, Editions Rencontre, Switzerland.
1966 Kenya, Editions Rencontre, Switzerland.
1966 Portugal, Editions Rencontre, Switzerland.
1964 Camargue, Editions Rencontre, Switzerland.
1964 Naples, Editions Rencontre, Switzerland.
Films
2008 Mai 68 vu par Bruno Barbey, Caroline Thiénot.
2005 Grand Angle, 2M, Maroc.
2003 Panoramiques Maroc, Caroline Thiénot (betanum, 12 min).
2002 Les Italiens, directed by Caroline Thiénot (betanum, 10 min).
1996 Maroc sans Frontière, directed by Mostafa Bouazzaoui for Moroccan television.
1988 Assignment in Morocco, BBC, directed by Clem Vallance (in conjunction with centenary of National Geographic).
1979 3 Jours, 3 Photographes, directed by F. Moscovitz (about Bruno Barbey, Jean Loup Sieff and Robert Doisneau).
1968 Mai 68 (16mm, B&W).