Norbert Ghisoland Retrospective in Mons: Rediscovering a Forgotten Photographer

A retrospective of Belgian photographer Norbert Ghisoland (1882-1939) was held at the Mundaneum and Salle Saint-Georges in Mons from June 21 to October 31, 2002. Ghisoland produced over 40,000 glass plate negatives documenting the daily lives of residents in Frameries and the Borinage region during the 1920s-1930s. The exhibition was organized in three sections: 'Du grenier au musée' featuring original prints and albums lent by local families; 'Fragments de vie ordinaire' with sixty modern prints; and 'Alter ego' comparing Ghisoland's work with ten other photographers from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, including Heinrich Tönnies (Denmark, 1880s), Virxilio Vieitez (Spain, 1955-1965), Tomas Monserrat (Majorca, 1900-1925), Kasimir Zgorecki (Pas-de-Calais, 1920-1930), Martin Chambi (Peru, 1920-1930), Mike Disfarmer (Arkansas, 1939-1946), and Seydou Keita (Mali, 1950-1960). The exhibition highlighted the phenomenon of rediscovering forgotten photographers whose commercial studio work gained sociological and historical value. A monograph 'Norbert Ghisoland, Fragments de vies ordinaires' was published by La Lettre Volée/Vu d'Ici, edited by Alain D'Hooghe.