Eyewitness - Kurt Wyss in dialogue with Jean Dubuffet
In this year's edition, photo basel is dedicating a special exhibition to Basel photographer Kurt Wyss (*1936). With "Eyewitness Kurt Wyss in Dialogue with Jean Dubuffet" we are presenting an insight into an important phase of his photographic work. Kurt Wyss first photographed the French painter and sculptor Jean Dubuffet (1901-1984) in 1970, and their wonderful long-term collaboration lasted until Dubuffet's death in 1984. Whether working on a model, absorbed in thought or surrounded by drawings, the portraits of Jean Dubuffet taken by Kurt Wyss show the artist in the intimate surroundings of his studio. Wyss was not interested in depicting the artist gloriously posing next to his works; rather, he wanted to show the person and the ideas behind the works. His portraits exude intimacy and authenticity, while capturing the essence of his model in a subtle yet powerful way.
From political events and the documentation of Basel's alleyways to portraits of famous artists, Kurt Wyss captured both the everyday and the extraordinary in his work as a photographer. Born in Basel in 1936, Wyss worked as a press photographer after completing his apprenticeship in photography.
His reportages appeared in the culture magazine «Du», «Schweizer Illustrierte» and the Basel-based «National-Zeitung», among others. He was also head of the picture department there from 1965. In addition to his journalistic work, Kurt Wyss created a remarkable oeuvre of portraits from contemporary artists. He portrayed personalities such as Joseph Beuys, Pablo Picasso, Jean Dubuffet, Jean Tinguely, Niki de Saint Phalle and numerous writers and musicians. His portraits do not embellish, they are honest and capture the vibrancy of the moment with a keen eye for detail and composition.
Kurt Wyss first photographed the French painter and sculptor Jean Dubuffet (1901-1984) in 1970, and their long-term collaboration lasted until Dubuffet's death in 1984. Whether working on a model, absorbed in thought or surrounded by drawings - the portraits of Jean Dubuffet taken by Kurt Wyss show the artist in the intimate surroundings of his studio. Wyss was not interested in depicting the artist gloriously posing next to his works; rather, he wanted to show the person and the ideas behind the works. His portraits exude intimacy and authenticity while capturing the essence of his model in a subtle yet powerful way. Kurt Wyss has the ability to capture the perfect moment. Over the years, Kurt Wyss visited Jean Dubuffet over twenty times and documented these visits with his camera. Admission to the private artist's studio is associated with a great deal of trust, which Kurt Wyss was able to gain with the help of his calm charisma, modesty, humour and playful spirit. Kurt Wyss gained an insight into the world of Jean Dubuffet not only as a photographer but also as a collaborator. Wyss recounted anecdotally that he sent records of Basel carnival music to Paris for Dubuffet's work «Coucou Bazar» and also put him in touch with Basel costume makers.
As a photographer from Basel, Kurt Wyss is deeply rooted in the local art scene. He documented cultural events such as Art Basel and countless art exhibitions. The art and artists that Wyss documented and portrayed photographically throughout his life are just one part of a comprehensive oeuvre that captures people and their actions with the eye of the camera. Jean Dubuffet described Kurt Wyss as a «marvellous photographer» and his praise is absolutely justified.