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Updated: Keystone Brazil Director Agnes Garai dies aged 92

Agnes Garai (1926-2018) Photo supplied

Agnes Garai a director of photo agency Keystone Brazil for 50 years  -the niece and last descendant of Keystone co-founder Bert Garai – has died. She had been suffering from poor health for the last year which deteriorated.  

18th April: See the update from Keystone below, chronicling Agnes’ life.

A church service took place today, 6th of April 2018 at 9am, followed by a private cremation.

 

Industry reaction:
“Agnes was a treasure and already greatly missed. Loved hearing her stories of Keystone back in the day when they were the largest news picture service in the world. When I bought the original Keystone almost two decades ago, she was first person I reached out to. Her friendship was invaluable and I wish to send ‘ un grande abraco ‘ to her family and friends worldwide, we are better having known her.”
Scott, CEO Keystone Press Agency

Keystone  Brazil sent PAN the following about Agnes Garai:

The last descendant of Keystone co-founder Bert Garai,  Agnes Garai passed away on the 5thof April from a heart attack (AMI) while swimming.  A private funeral and cremation took place on the 6thof April 2018, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

1914 – Bert Garai, Hungarian immigrant, disembarked in New York. Launched fashion for informal celebrity photos and news services in the Press Illustrating Service. The new journalistic style was a total success. The Press Illustrating Service eventually became the Keystone View Company.

1918 – End of the First World War. Garai returned to Europe to document post-war changes. He formed a network of clients and partners and made London his home.

1923 and 1927 – Keystone branches were opened in Berlin and Paris, with the Paris branch under the direction of Bert’s brother, Alexandre Garai.

1939-1945 – World War II fragmented Keystone but didn’t interrupt its activities: German bombs destroyed the headquarters of the company in London; the Parisian agency installed itself in a laboratory truck. Part of the Garai family, Arnaldo, Irene and Agnes (father, mother and daughter) happened to be visiting Brazil when the Second World War broke out and decided to stay in the country. At this time Agnes Garai was 12 years old.

1952 – At the suggestion of Arnaldo’s brothers, Alexander and Bert, Keystone was founded in Brazil, with Agnes’s father Arnaldo in charge of the operation. Agnes continued her studies and attended University to Study Business Administration. She went on to work for the Phillips company for 20 years.

1968 – upon taking over the management of Keystone Brazil Agnes Garai expanded the photographic and journalistic services. At this time the Agency also started investing in advertising, providing photographs for advertising and graphic production. Making it the largest company of its kind in the country, receiving the prestigious award for best image provider in Brazilian communication sector twice. Keystone could now boast offices in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

Agnes was an extremely talented and successful business woman. Speaking eight languages she made numerous friends in the international picture industry.

Her Passion for photography and excellent relationship with the international community, made her the “Grand Dame of the photographic industry”, seeing her receive the CEPIC “Lifelong Contribution” award in 2010.

Agnes had a great appetite for life which she expressed in her passion for exercise. She was an accomplished tennis player and swimmer.

Her knowledge, wisdom and fabulous sense of humour will be remembered by all of those who had the privilege of meeting her. She has left behind her a truly incredible legacy!

“Agnes Garai  will be always among us. She has gone but left with us a legacy of knowledge, strength and harmony. We will never forget her combine presence and sincere words” – Jorge Borges – CEO – Keystone Brazil.

View all Keystone articles on PAN

At the 2010 CEPIC Annual Congress Agnes was honoured for her long professional career and total dedication to the World photographic industry.

Keystone Press Agency was founded in the early 1900’s in London by Bert Garai. The agency soon established a Paris office and in 1960 Keystone photographer Bob Moynier founded the Canadian office, located in Montreal.  Keystone was the worlds largest photo agency in the 1940’s / 50’s with offices in over 20 countries. The agency was bought by Zuma Press in 2003.

1 comment

  • KEYSTONE — L’œil du XXe siècle
    De 1927 jusqu’au début des années 1980, les photographes de la légendaire agence de presse ont suivi la marche du monde, ses conflits, ses grands travaux, ses mouvements sociaux, ses espoirs, ses progrès ou ses grands artistes. Leurs images constituent la mémoire visuelle du XXe siècle, un héritage unique et colossal : plus de dix millions de photographies, sur négatifs ou plaques de verre. Consulter les archives de Keystone, c’est dérouler le roman-fleuve d’un siècle : Paris à la Belle Époque, seconde guerre mondiale, guerre d’Algérie, grèves ouvrières, mai 1968, mais aussi Buster Keaton, la famille Kennedy, Françoise Sagan ou encore Cassius Clay et Grâce de Monaco.
    En octobre 1914, Bert Garaï, un immigrant hongrois, débarque en paquebot à New York après avoir séjourné à Berlin, Paris et Londres. En Europe, c’est la guerre depuis quatre mois. Le jeune homme trouve un emploi dans une agence de presse de Manhattan. Il écrit d’abord des enveloppes puis rédige des légendes photo.
    En 1917, lorsque les États-Unis déclarent la guerre à l’Allemagne, Garaï photographie son fils de quatre ans en uniforme de soldat américain et il intitule son cliché : « La plus jeune recrue de l’oncle Sam ». La photo a fait la une des journaux, partout dans le monde. Garaï est alors promu directeur adjoint de l’agence et y crée un département de reportages d’actualité. L’agence est peu après rachetée par la Keystone View Company qui lui donne son nom.
    Dès la fin de la guerre, Garaï retourne en Europe pour couvrir l’actualité comme reporter. Basé à Londres il y fonde une première agence Keystone. C’est le succès. Aidé par un partenaire financier, il rachète ensuite l’agence de New York et fonde dans la foulée un bureau à Berlin en 1923.
    En 1927, Keystone Paris voit le jour. La direction en est confiée au frère cadet de Bert Garaï, Alexandre Garaï. Ce dernier devient l’une des grandes figures du photojournalisme en France. Il recrute les meilleurs reporters. Partout sur la planète, les photographes Keystone, qui restent anonymes puisqu’ils ne signent
    pas leurs images, alimentent la presse. En 1940, au moment de l’occupation, l’agence connaît l’exode, dans un vieux camion transformé en laboratoire photo ambulant. Après le conflit, aucun évènement politique, historique, social, culturel ou artistique mondial n’échappe à l’œil de Keystone, et cela jusqu’au milieu des années 1980. Aujourd’hui, la presse n’est pas la seule à faire appel à ses archives. Des historiens, mais aussi les amateurs de photojournalisme de tous horizons cherchent leur bonheur parmi ces millions de clichés qui recèlent certainement encore bien des trésors méconnus.

    Google Translate gave us this:
    KEYSTONE – The eye of the 20th century
    From 1927 until the early 1980s, the photographers of the legendary press agency followed the progress of the world, its conflicts, its great works, its social movements, its hopes, its progress or its great artists. Their images constitute the visual memory of the 20th century, a unique and colossal legacy: more than ten million photographs, on negatives or glass plates. To consult Keystone’s archives is to unfold the century-old romance: Paris in the Belle Époque, World War II, Algerian War, workers’ strikes, May 1968, but also Buster Keaton, the Kennedy family, Françoise Sagan and Cassius Clay and Grace of Monaco.
    In October 1914, Bert Garaï, a Hungarian immigrant, disembarked by ocean liner in New York after having stayed in Berlin, Paris and London. In Europe, it’s been war for four months. The young man finds a job in a Manhattan news agency. He first wrote envelopes and then wrote photo captions.
    In 1917, when the United States declared war on Germany, Garaï photographed his four-year-old son in American soldier’s uniform and titled his photograph: “Uncle Sam’s youngest recruit”. The photo made the headlines around the world. Garaï was then promoted to deputy director of the agency and created a news reporting department there. The agency was soon bought by the Keystone View Company, which gave it its name.
    At the end of the war, Garaï returned to Europe to cover the news as a reporter. Based in London, he founded a first Keystone agency there. It’s success. Helped by a financial partner, he then bought the New York agency and founded an office in Berlin in 1923.
    In 1927, Keystone Paris was born. The management is entrusted to Bert Garaï’s younger brother, Alexandre Garaï. The latter became one of the great figures of photojournalism in France. He recruits the best reporters. Keystone photographers all over the world, who remain anonymous since they don’t sign.
    At the end of the war, Garaï returned to Europe to cover the news as a reporter. Based in London, he founded a first Keystone agency there. It’s success. Helped by a financial partner, he then bought the New York agency and founded an office in Berlin in 1923.

    In 1927, Keystone Paris was born. The management is entrusted to Bert Garaï’s younger brother, Alexandre Garaï. The latter became one of the great figures of photojournalism in France. He recruits the best reporters. Keystone photographers all over the world, who remain anonymous since they don’t sign
    not their images, feed the press. In 1940, at the time of the occupation, the agency experienced an exodus, in an old truck transformed into a traveling photo laboratory. After the conflict, no political, historical, social, cultural or artistic world event escaped Keystone’s eye until the mid-1980s. Today, the press is not the only one to do call to his archives. Historians, but also photojournalism enthusiasts from all walks of life seek their happiness among the millions of photos that certainly still contain many unknown treasures.

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