Franco Zecchin, la biografia
La musique, comme la photographie, le théâtre et les autres expressions “artistiques”, sont pour moi une recherche d’harmonie entre forme et contenu. Mais avant tout, elles sont des actes de création qui nous rapprochent à nos racines humaines, et c’est à ce niveau qu’elles peuvent nous é-mouvoir, nous faire bouger des certitudes acquises, à la recherche d’un ordre sous-jacent à la nature a-causale des phénomènes. F. Zecchin, Paris mai 2005
élève de Grotowski au théâtre et photographe autodidacte, Franco Zecchin est devenu une figure incontournable du photoreportage. Né à Milan, il a choisi de s’établir à Paris, qu’il traverse en souplesse avec sa trottinette. Calme, rapide, agile, ce photographe est un seigneur. Son allure reflète une présence au monde des plus avisée. Les histoires qu’il nous raconte en maître du documentaire social comme les thèmes de vie qu’il traite dans des séries moins journalistiques, sont tissées d’images saisissantes que nous avons tous en mémoire.
1953: born in Milano. He lives in Paris.
1972: after he graduated on nuclear physic, he made his first theatre experiences as actor. One year later, he spent seven months in Africa, where he started to be photographer.
1974: he met Letizia Battaglia in Venice, during a workshop of the polish theatre director Grotowsky.
1975: he moved to Palermo where he became professional photographer for the daily newspaper “L’Ora” until 1988, taking pictures about Mafia, political corruption and misery social conditions.
1977: with Letizia Battaglia, he founded a Cultural Centre for Photography and the Sicilian Documentation Centre against Mafia “G. Impastato”. He also makes theatre and movies into the psychiatric asylum of Palermo.
1983: exhibition in Amsterdam and London.
1984: many reportages abroad, particularly on East Europe.
1986: exhibition in Boston and Rochester.
1987: he became director of the monthly culture and politics magazine “Grandevù”.
1988: he had been associated to Magnum Photos Agency. He won the International Journalism Price “Città di Trento”. Exhibition in Strasbourg.
1989: the french “Centre National de la Photographie” published the book “Chroniques Siciliennes”. Exhibition in Paris “Palais de Tokyo” with his work against Mafia.
1990: in Silesia, Poland, he spent four months, working on the personal project : “Pollution and public health in the Katowice region”. Exhibition in Houston.
1991: during the Gulf War he was working in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. He left Magnum and on november, he started the new project “Nomads Today” with the Touaregs in the Sahara desert.
1992: he published a series of reportages on “Against Mafia news fighters” for Zurich’s Das Magazin , Hamburg’s Geo Magazine , Newsweek International and Sunday Times Magazine. He worked in North Ireland for french Elle and he travels in Iceland and Czechoslovakia for personal projects.
1993: nomads project continue with the Vezos, on the north-west coast of Madagascar and with the Maures in Mauretania. He moved to Paris.
1994: with the Moken in Thailand, to Mongolia and with the Beduins in Giordan.
1995: Cameroon (Baka Pygmees) and Québec (Innu). Exhibition “Black and white Sicily” in Bastia and Tourcoing (France). Some pictures are also exhibited in Bradford National Museum and in the “Biennale” of Venice.
1996: nomads project: Yakutia, Siberia (Evénes) and Tanzania (Barabaig). Exhibition on children in Florence (Italy).
1997: project on Easter in South Italy. Traveling exhibition “Kid Size” by Vitra Design Museum, from Rotterdam to Copenhagen, Oslo, Weimar, Glasgow.. Exhibition “Nomads” in Palermo
1998: publication of the book “Nomades” in Paris (Editions de la Martiniére). Exhibition in “Photokina” of Köln and “La Sicile en révolte” during the “Mois de la Photo” in Paris. He publish a calendar on the theme of sleeping.
1999: project on popular religion traditions in Lucania (Italy). Exhibition at the International Festival of Arles, at the Festival Chroniques Nomades of Honfleur and at the Galerie Photo of Montpellier.
2000: he win the “Humanity photo Award” in Beijing (China). Shooting the Garos of Meghalaya (North-East India) in November for French Geo.
2001: personal exhibition at the “Centre Andaluz de la Fotografia”, Almeria, Spain. “Monaco” and “Islam in France” on assignement for National Geographic.
2002: personal exhibition at the “Photosynkyria” International Festival in Thessaloniki, Greece. Publication in the book:”Jour de Noces”, Seuil, Paris.
2003: personal exhibition at “Labirinti di Luce”, Padua, Italie.
2004: “Sicilian Chronicles”, Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney.
2005: “Cavalieri della Mongolia”, Festival Internazionale, Roma and Su Palatu, Villanova Monteleone.
2006: “Dovere di Cronaca”, Festival Internazionale, Roma; book published by Peliti.
