Edward STEICHEN

Edward STEICHEN Unpublished book by Edward Steichen, *Nature on Stage* (2026 edition), a co-publication by Atelier EXB and Lët'z Arles A limited-edition 100% silk scarf featuring a reproduction of Edward Steichen’s work *Bouquet of Sunflowers* (1963) A guided tour during the opening week of the Rencontres d’Arles, featuring the exhibitions *La Nature* by Edward Steichen and *Lisa Oppenheim-Monsieur Steichen*, led by curators Ruud Priem and Bettina Steinbrügge (or later in the summer by Florence Reckinger Taddei, founder of Lët'z Arles) Edward Steichen’s career is remarkable in more ways than one: a pioneer of Pictorialism, a fashion and portrait photographer, a designer, and an exhibition curator, he never ceased to experiment across all disciplines. This unprecedented exhibition reveals just how integral nature was to his personal and professional life, through a selection of rarely seen works from collections in Luxembourg—his native country—and exceptional loans from the Estate of Edward Steichen. Originally a painter, Edward Steichen explored, through photography, the pictorial dimensions of the image and the interplay between light and shadow. While his approach gradually shifted toward a more realistic and documentary style, his fascination with light and the atmosphere of nature never ceased to permeate his work. The passage of time and Steichen’s patient observation of nature are perfectly illustrated in his late, unfinished project dedicated to his serviceberry tree (The Shadblow Tree). Over the course of the seasons, he methodically studied the tree’s transformations, photographing and filming it for nearly ten years: the experience of nature emerges here as a continuous and dynamic performance, captured moment by moment. His compositions celebrate the natural geometry of certain plants (sunflowers, lotuses, etc.) in all their complexity, with a particular fascination for delphiniums, which he not only photographed extensively but also cultivated and hybridized throughout his life. Steichen did not merely capture nature as it existed; he also staged it in intimate portraits of family members and close friends, as well as in commissioned photographs. For him, nature served as both a backdrop and a partner, highlighting emotional bonds and a shared sensibility. His personal connection to nature extended far beyond the lens. His self-portraits, his contributions to magazines, and views of his exhibitions reveal his constant and passionate quest for beauty. For Steichen, flower arranging and photography were closely linked: they were two ways of bringing the art of nature to life and sharing it with the world. Ruud Priem