“I still see, as I did in the early days of our relationship, her love for me and my artistic work and my love for her.”
~ René Groebli
(1927 - 2026)
Many, many years ago, I came across a beat-up copy of a small book called Eye of Love by a photographer I had never heard of, called René Groebli, in a second-hand bookshop in London.
You must remember that back then the internet was somewhat primitive; I don’t think there was such a thing as Google search. This photographer had no website. I was more than frustrated that I could not find any trace of this man who had created something so moving.
Flash forward maybe ten years, and I find myself at Paris Photo, and I see a couple of the images being exhibited in a booth. In the booth, I saw a man wearing bright red shoes, just like mine.
I congratulated him on wearing such bold accessories, and he returned the same compliments about mine. Lo and behold, he turned out to be the René Groebli, the “lost” great photographer I had been trying to find for all these years.
I took him to lunch, and that started a long and deep friendship and professional relationship that has given me so much joy and fulfillment.
I was so saddened to hear about his passing today. He was always full of life and had such a positive energy about him. He was working and making fresh discoveries in his amazing archive right up until the end.
Yes, I am sad, but I know that he had such a rich and long life doing what he loved. Knowing this will always be an inspiration to me to try and do the same.
I am fortunate to live with some of his images, so I will always be reminded of his daily presence in my life and the honor of having known and worked with him.
RIP, dear René.
