Back in the summer of 1896, Gabriel Veyre (1871–1936) embarks on a round-the-world tour with the cinematography tools that the Lumière brothers entrust him with to make their new invention known to the planet. First Mexico, Cuba, Colombia and Venezuela, then in 1898 Canada, China, and Japan.He thus became the first person to film these faraway lands and his films were shown at screenings put on by the Lumière brothers.
His travels led him to Hanoi in 1899 where he met Paul Doumer, governor of Indochina. The latter asked Veyre to take pictures of the region to display at the Paris World Fairin 1900. He spent more than a year crisscrossing Tonkin, Annam and Cochinchina, but his most stunning pictures are those of the Angkor temples in Cambodia. “I’m off to this country to take pictures of ruins. The travels promise to be very interesting and eye-opening. No danger, because the country is at peace and tigers are scarce. Anyway, I’ll have my rifle and pistol with me for protection.” His photographs on glass plate or albumenized paper provide a unique view of the Angkor temples more than a century ago, still little visited, but so majestic in the eyes of the rare visitors. His films were shown in the Khmer grotto built on the occasion of the world fair.
Thanks to Philippe Jacquier et Marion Pranai from gallery Lumière des Roses in Montreuil, France, who made the exhibition possible.
FESTIVAL
Photo Phnom Penh 2013
November 30th – December 31st, 2013
http://www.institutfrancais-cambodge.com
