The Contretype non-profit association was founded in 1978 by Jean-Louis Godefroid (1952-2013), who holds a diploma in photography from the “Le 75” College of Art in Brussels, as a space to exhibit work by individual photographers in Brussels, Wallonia and abroad. He held several exhibitions (of work by Paul Horst, Robert Rauschenberg, David Hockney, Peter Downsbrough, Robert Mapplethorpe, Karl Blossfeldt, Willy Zielke, Roger Kockaerts, Gilbert Fastenaekens, and others) in his own apartment.

Through its complementary activities in printing, publishing and distribution, Contretype contributes to the career development of individual photographers and creates links between them, the media and the public.

In 1988, Contretype moved to the Art Nouveau townhouse of Edouard Hannon, who, in 1874, was a founder member of the Belgian Photographic Association. Many exhibitions were held there, including work by Joel Peter Witkin, Charles Leirens, Serge Vandercam, Julien Coulommier, Daniel Brunemer, Paul Den Hollander and others (see exhibitions timeline).

In 1997, Contretype began an artist-in-residence programme for Belgian and foreign photographers, that so far has included Alain Paiement (Quebec), Bernard Plossu (France), Elina Brotherus (Finland), J.H. Engström (Sweden) and Philippe Herbet (Belgium). This programme enables photographers to reflect on their own work and to complete a photographic project set against the particular background of the city of Brussels. It has also enabled Contretype to build up a collection of photographs that today includes almost 250 photographs. At the end of 2014, Contretype moved to a new prestigious building in the Saint-Gilles district: the Cité Fontainas.

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