Since the advent of photography, capturing fleeting occurrences, glances and glimpses has become ever more commonplace. The prominent Swiss photographer René Burri, who died in October 2014 at the age of 81, specialised in those ephemeral moments, which he aimed to catch ‘like a fly in flight’. Burri had a way of seeing that allowed him to find the otherwise unseen moments of life, a gift that he explained, in simpler terms, as showing what the world looked like. In this film, the late photographer discusses six of his most famous works.
Director: Anthony Austin
Producer: Helena Reis
videoHistory
In Stalin’s home city in Georgia, generations clash over his legacy
20 minutes
videoHistory
In the face of denial, this film uncovers the hidden scars of Indonesia’s 1998 riots
21 minutes
videoHistory of science
Insect aesthetics – long viewed as pests, in the 16th century bugs became beautiful
8 minutes
videoNature and landscape
After independence, Mexico was in search of identity. These paintings offered a blueprint
15 minutes
videoArt
A young Rockefeller collects art on a fateful journey to New Guinea
7 minutes
videoArt
Defying classification, fantastical artworks reframe the racism of Carl Linnaeus
8 minutes
videoFilm and visual culture
Space and time expand, contract and combust in this propulsive animation
5 minutes
videoArt
When East met West in the images of an overlooked, original photographer
9 minutes
videoConsciousness and altered states
‘I want me back’ – after a head injury, Nick struggles with his altered reality
7 minutes