Back to the Future
FOAM: The 19th Century in the 21st Century
The things that rock our world inevitably become mainstream with time – the cute new boy toy, the new song, the new favorite drink. It all unfolds until the shimmery secrecy that made it special falls matte. There are some things, however, that only become more interesting as they go mainstream. Photography is one of these instances. The lengths to which people will to to get the perfect Snap or Instagram shot attest to the medium’s development, and to how it has changed society.
Back to the Future – the 19th Century in the 21st Century, a new exhibition at Foam in Amsterdam, celebrates the stretching landscape of photographic methods and processes that originated in the nineteenth century and still transcends today. The show’s curator juxtaposes works from the 19th and 21st centuries in a way that feels fresh and insightful. Artists from all over the world are represented, including Anna Atkins, Sylvia Ballhause, Lewis M. Rutherford, and numerous other contributors.
Photography nowadays is characterised by an openness that flirts with all sorts of disciplinary foreplay and experiments. There is also an interest in the physical production process and the material qualities of the work. The artists featured in the exhibition use the original principles of photography – light, a photosensitive carrier, emulsion and chemical processes – but they also make use of modern tools such as computers and 3D printers. Their deliberate experimentation results in radically new works of art, in which photography merges with other disciplines such as sculpture and painting.
The play in their methods reflects the spirit of visual freedom that characterises both the pioneers from the 19th century as well the contemporary artists in the show. PROVOKR invites you to take a look for yourself and see what suits your fancy.
