farmers and fishermen, the pictures of Emile Ver-
haeren’s tomb on the river’s bank, and the many
tranquil riverscapes and landscapes are vaguely
reminiscent of pictorialism, and constitute a paro-
chial, even sentimental view of his native region. In
addition, Kessels undertook a broad range of dark-
room experiments, such as photograms, solariza-
tions, double exposures, and scratching on the
negative, resulting in abstract organic forms and
demonstrating an affinity with the contemporary
movement Subjektive Photographie.
These two bodies of work seem completely dis-
connected from Kessels’s turbulent personal life.
Shortly after the war, Kessels was convicted of col-
laboration with the Nazi occupiers of Belgium and
imprisoned. Even as late as 1996, these events still
stirred controversy: a retrospective exhibition in
Charleroi was censored and never opened to the
public. Undoubtedly, Kessels’ war past has been in
large part a cause of his relative obscurity.
StevenJacobsSeealso:Architectural Photography; Coburn, Alvin
Langdon; Farm Security Administration; Hine,
Lewis; History of Photography: Interwar Years;
Manipulation; Moholy-Nagy, La ́szlo ́; Photogram;
Pictorialism; Riis, Jacob; Solarization
Biography
Born in Dendermonde, Belgium, 26 January 1898. Briefly
studied architecture in the Saint-Lucas School and the
Royal Academy of Fine Arts, both in Ghent. After work-
ing as an architectural draftsman, furniture designer, and
sculptor, he became a self-educated photographer in
- Wins thePrix de publicite ́Pe ́trole Hahnon the
occasion of theDeuxie`me exposition internationale de la
photographiein Brussels. Member of the jury of theFesti-
val international du Filmat the occasion of the 1935 Uni-
versal Exhibition in Brussels. In 1947, sentenced to four
years imprisonment as a result of collaboration during
World War II. Died in Brussels, 10 February 1974.
Individual Exhibitions
1984 Langs de Schelde: Fotografie van Willy Kessels; Pro-
vinciaal Museum Emile Verhaeren, Sint-Amands-aan-
de-Schelde, Belgium
1990 Rencontre internationales de la photographie;Arles,France
1997 Amne ́sie, Responsabilite ́et Collaboration; Palais des
beaux-arts, Brussels, Belgium
Selected Group Exhibitions
1932 Internationale de la photographie; Palais des Beaux-
Arts, Brussels, Belgium
1933 Deuxie`me exposition internationale de la photographie
et du cine ́ma; Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium
1936 Nu artistique; Antwerp
1964 Corre ́lations; Kasteel Nijenrode, Breukelen, the Neth-
erlands
1965 Corre ́lations; Salle Magritte, Knokke, Belgium
1997 Le temps menac ̧ant: Anne ́es 30 en Europe; Muse ́e d’art
moderne de la ville de Paris, Paris, FranceSelected Books (illustrated by Kessels)
1930 Albert Guislain,De ́couverte de Bruxelles, Brussels: Edi-
tions l’Eglantine
1930 Reportage on unemployment in Brussels in the journal
AZ
1932 Albert Guislain,Bruxelles Atmosphe`res 10–32, Brussels:
Editions l’Eglantine
1932 Roger Avermaete,Synthe`se d’Anvers, Brussels: Editions
l’Eglantine
1944 Bert Peleman,Schoon Scheldeland, Brussels: De Burcht
1955 Bart Peleman & Filip de Pillecyn,De eeuwige Schelde,
Louvain: De Clauwaert Boekengilde
1967 Sint-Niklaas en het land van Waas, Antwerp: Neder-
landse BoekhandelSelected Works
La Grand’Place de Bruxelles, 1930
Square du Petit Sablon, Bruxelles, 1930
Habitations individuelles, ca. 1932
Portrait ofHenry Van de Velde, 1932
Still photographs forMise`re au Borinage, 1933
Publicity photograph forPe ́trole Hahn, 1933
Portrait ofJoris Van Severen, ca. 1936
Saint-Nicolas chez Barbebleu, 1937
Nu cathe ́drale, 1966Further Reading
De Naeyer, Christine.W. Kessels. Charleroi: Musee ́ de la
photographie, 1996.
Kessels, Willy.Amne ́sie, responsabilite ́et collaboration: Willy
Kessels photographe. Exh. cat. Brussels: Palais des Beaux-
Arts, 1997.
Leplus, Franc ̧ ois, and Alain Paviot.Willy Kessels. Paris:
Galerie Alain Paviot, 1990.
Samoy, Achiel G.Een levensschets: Willy Kessels kunstfoto-
graaf. Ghent: Handelsdrukkerij Het Volk, 1974.KESSELS, WILLY