Eric and Louise Franck's London Photography Collection at Paris Photo

The Eric and Louise Franck collection of London photography, previously shown at Tate Britain as 'Another London', is featured at Paris Photo. The collection comprises 1,200 photographs, with 180 exhibited, focusing on international photographers who captured London between the 1930s and late 1970s. Notable names include Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Irving Penn, and lesser-known figures like Izis Bidermanas, Sergio Larrain, and Al Vandenberg. The Francks began collecting after Eric shifted focus from contemporary art to photography, noting London's underrepresentation in photographic imagery. They acquired works by directly approaching photographers and selecting their best London images. The collection spans the 20th century with some 19th-century works, 80% in black and white. Simon Baker, Tate's curator of photography, interviewed the collectors. The Francks emphasized that the collection captures London's social transformations, from a white, class-divided city to a more diverse one by the 1980s. Eric Franck's favorite photographs are by Al Vandenberg, who died this year.