Fine art photography in Luxembourg begins with Edward Steichen, one of its most famous pioneers. Since then, numerous artists, galleries, cultural institutions and businesses have carried on his legacy. In fact, art lovers decide how art is presented. This is what curators Paul di Felice and Ruud Priem do.

“This photograph is tiny! And yet it shows a family including two important women in Edward Steichen’s life. Actually, many women surrounded and inspired him. That’s why the current exhibit highlights strong women in his life.” Ruud Priem smiles at the black and white portrait format photograph, about the size of a business card. The small print is displayed in a large frame. Here, Steichen’s artistic vision is showcased.

Ruud Priem is chief curator at Luxembourg’s “musée national d’Archéologie, d’Histoire et d’Art”, the Museum of Archeology, Histo­ry and Art (MNAHA). Originally from the Netherlands, Priem loves fine art photography and greatly admires Edward Steichen.

“These are existential questions: Who am I? What’s my relationship to the world? What does identity mean? This can include gender but also countries of origin, which is particularly interesting here in Luxembourg with such an interna­tional population,” explains Paul di Felice as he and Ruud walk through the exhibit.

The “Rethinking” series shows: We can and must question everything. For example, “Rethinking Nature” and “Rethinking Landscapes” are themes that lead us to ask: How do artists see nature? How do they interpret human awareness of nature and landscapes? It’s a classic art subject that is incredi­bly relevant today.

“Soon we’ll add Rethinking Pho­tography,” says Paul di Felice. “It’s highly relevant because the big question is: How does AI change photography? Does AI enrich pho­tography or should we fight it?” One thing that is clear for both Paul di Felice and Ruud Priem: fine art photography should be viewed in its historical context.

In Luxembourg you’ll also find art photography collections beyond museums and galleries. In Kirch­berg for example, the business and financial district, the Deutsche Börse Group houses one of the largest photography collections from the second half of the 20th century. It also awards the prestig­ious “Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize”.