Photography has deep roots in Montparnasse, as great experimenters lived and worked here. Legendary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson wanted to keep with this spirit of innovation so he opened this foundation. It supports contemporary photography. Be sure to go to the top floor to see a small gallery of Cartier-Bresson’s own work.
The Foundation doesn’t buy work by other artists. French Government recognized The Foundation as being for public benefit but it is a privately financed institution. It needs to find funding to be able to continue to restore its collection, organize high quality exhibitions and publish catalogues and to support artistic creativity. The foundation holds a competition for photographers every two years, with a prize of 30000 euros for the best project.