Jean Painlevé – Feet in the Water

French film director Jean Painlevé (1902–1989) had a passion for scientific cinema. He was interested in engaging a broad audience in the discovery of natural science through film and devoted most of his life to documenting fauna – especially species from the underwater world. Over a period of more than 50 years, Painlevé shot over 200 short films, marked by his characteristic approach, which he developed through meticulous observation, technical mastery and experimentation. The works in the exhibition – a selection of numerous black-and-white and colour films, photographs and documents – reflect not only his engagement with science but also his desire to share the mysteries of living matter and creatures that inhabit Earth.

Painlevé made precise observations of his subjects and recorded their movements and processes of development. He began by concentrating on crabs, shrimps, octopuses and sea urchins – creatures that inhabit the coast, especially the foreshore, the border zone between land and sea that is washed by the tides. His films, many of which were made together with his lifelong partner and collaborator Geneviève Hamon (1905–1987) , offer visitors an unusual journey into the curious world of underwater creatures, their bodies and their habitats.

EXHIBITION TEXTS

This exhibition is conceived by Jeu de Paume, Paris with the participation of Fotomuseum Winterthur for its presentation in Winterthur. Curator: Pia Viewing in association with Brigitte Berg, Director of Les Documents Cinématographiques / Archives Jean Painlevé, Paris.