Spanning a dialogue between contemporary practices and those of the nineteenth century, an exhibition entitled Back to the Future at Foam Museum in Amsterdam displays what the photographic medium was, what it is, and what it will be in the near future.
The current practice of photography has much in common with the early years of the medium, when experiments with new photographic techniques were carried out on a grand scale. In a spirit of openness, excitement, freedom, curiosity and non-conformity, the nineteenth century pioneers of photography experimented with the technological and visual potential of the medium.
They tested various methods and processes, but these were far from fully developed. Innovators with different backgrounds and from a variety of disciplines were looking for the best ways to capture the world. Taking pleasure in the making of images, and with a similar drive for experimentation, these early photographers shared a common mentality with many artists today.
To start a dialogue within the exhibition Back to the Future, Foam selected contemporary artists who use the foundations of photography: light, darkroom and chemistry, but in a non-traditional way. The selection includes work by Anna Atkins, Thomas Hauser, Nicolai Howalt, Taiyo Onorato & Nico Krebs, Jaya Pelupessy & Felix van Dam, Warren de la Rue, Simon van Til and several anonymous makers. Each artist honors the history of the medium of photography by experimentally re-inventing it. The image is considered a material object with its own texture regardless of whether it is an analogue or digital object.
Back to the future: the 19th century in the 21st century
January 19 to March 28, 2018
Foam Museum
Keizersgracht 609
1017 DS Amsterdam
Netherlands
