News
Corbis opens Sygma Photography Preservation Facility near Paris
Corbis, widely believed to be the world’s 2nd largest stock licensing company, has announced that it has opened the Sygma Preservation and Access Facility in order to Preserve Sygma’s Photography Collection of 50 million negatives, prints, color transparencies, and contact prints, while Making Images Accessible for Photographers, Researchers, Iconographers, Historians and Creatives Worldwide. “The Sygma Preservation and Access Facility is a testament to our commitment to preserving the profoundly important Sygma collection,” said Gary Shenk, CEO, Corbis. “So many talented photographers have contributed to Sygma, and we are honored to safeguard and make accessible these treasures for today and the future.”
“If the collection had remained in the uncontrolled, room-temperature conditions where it had been kept for so many years, it would have perished before the end of this century,” explains Henry Wilhelm. “The new Sygma facility will preserve and make accessible the extraordinary legacy of the work of the Sygma photographers for the people of France – and for the world – for more than a thousand years into the future.”
Since Corbis began the initiative in 2004, a dedicated team of Corbis archivists have been reorganizing the collection to classify pictures by photographer rather than by theme, and editors have been selecting new images to digitize and promote more extensively. Corbis also contacted more than 10,000 contributors to confirm that they wished to participate in the initiative. Meanwhile, Corbis identified a suitable location for the new facility and undertook construction.
“Corbis has invested in a world-class facility that was specially designed for the long-term preservation of the Sygma collection,” said Pierre Fonlupt, President, Locarchives. “The photographic heritage conserved here is awe-inspiring, and we are proud to be part of the project.”
Web: www.corbis.com - Click here to view the featured image.
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