Back to the Future

The 19th Century in the 21st Century

Anna Atkins, Sylvia Ballhause, Karl Blossfeldt, Bownik, Matthew Brandt, Alfred Brothers, S.W. Burham, Alan Butler, Warren de la Rue, William England, Sam Falls, Henry Frères, Spiros Hadjidjanos, Thomas Hauser, Nicolai Howalt, Adam Jeppesen, Thomas Mailaender, Douglas Mandry, James Nasmyth, Taiyo Onorato & Nico Krebs, Lisa Oppenheim, Johan Österholm, Jaya Pelupessy & Felix van Dam, Helena Petersen, Lewis M. Rutherford, Nils Strindberg, Stephen Thompson, Simon van Til, Witho Worms

Photogravures of the moon’s surface, bo­tanical studies as blue cyanotypes, and Woodburytypes of portraits: the exhibition
showcases the work of contemporary artists who are using the techniques, methods, and processes of the 19th century photography. Taking inspiration from that early photography, the artists work with light, photosensitive ma­terial, photographic emulsion, and chemical processes. These techniques are taken an often­ surprising step further as the artists also incorporate new technologies such as computers and 3D­ printers. Actually, photog­raphy today finds itself in similar conditions to the nineteenth century, when the medium had not yet been concretized and as such remained open for experimentation. Astronomers, mathematicians, physicians, and chemists of the day had recognized the potential of pho­
tography and set about researching it with great curiosity and an open mind. The exhibi­tion pairs the diverse and hybrid contemporary pieces with outstanding pieces from the nine­teenth century.

The exhibition "Back to the Future. The 19th Century in the 21st Century" is initiated by Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam in collaboration with C/O Berlin and was curated by Kim Knoppers and Ann-Christin Bertrand.