A delightful art opening at the delightful Artcurial auction house to see delightful pictures of a delightful man, present that evening: Johannes von Saurma is an old fashion man, kind and discreet, he went on the steps of Robert Doisneau to enter the private world of some of the Parisian concierges. After a few words, he was given the opportunity to photograph that endangered species in their own habitat. Small apartments, meager possessions, modest condition, the concierges have been present throughout the centuries to keep an eye on the tenants of the Parisian buildings. They are still alive in front of Johannes’s Hasselblad 6×6 chamber. Discreet, industrious, they kept our staircases clean, distributed the mail, gave advices. What is now left of them? The concierges are somewhere in the stairs, where they have always been.
