Tate Modern expands Pictorialism photography’s history
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Tate Modern in London is presenting Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography, an exhibition that reconsiders the history of Pictorialism photography by showcasing artists from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Australia.
The exhibition, running from October 14, 2026, to February 21, 2027, features approximately 200 vintage prints by over 80 artists.
Curators Charmaine Toh and Genevieve Barton assembled the collection to move beyond a Eurocentric view of the movement, highlighting how photographers in diverse cultures adopted and adapted Pictorialism’s principles. The exhibition challenges the long-held idea that photography was merely a mechanical reproduction of reality. Pictorialist photographers intentionally used techniques borrowed from painting and drawing, like soft focus and deliberate composition, to express their artistic vision. Tate Modern’s selection includes well-known figures like Adolph de Meyer and Clarence H.
White alongside artists such as Long Chin-san from China and Shapoor N. Bhedwar from India, demonstrating the movement’s global reach. Beyond individual artists, the exhibition also examines the importance of photographic societies and publications in fostering international exchange. Groups like Guangshe in Shanghai and The New Line Group in South Korea helped photographers share ideas and develop new techniques.
By spotlighting these networks and the technical processes involved in creating prints, Light and Magic aims to offer a more comprehensive understanding of how photography gained acceptance as an art form and whose contributions shaped its history.
