Tate Modern's Light and Magic Show Questions Pictorialism's Legacy
Tate Modern in London is presenting a photography exhibition subtitled 'The Birth of Art Photography,' which sets out to survey pictorialism. According to the Financial Times, the strongest works on view actually embody the opposite of that movement's aims, giving the show a subversive edge. The display is framed around pictorialism, the late 19th- and early 20th-century tendency that sought to elevate photography to the status of fine art. Yet the most compelling pieces in the London presentation push against pictorialist conventions rather than illustrate them. The FT's assessment argues that photography's disruptive power emerges through material that sits uneasily within the exhibition's stated theme. The review appears under the FT's arts coverage and is accessible via the paper's website. No closing date, curator, or full checklist is specified in the source material.
Key facts
- Tate Modern in London is hosting a photography exhibition.
- The show carries the subtitle 'The Birth of Art Photography.'
- It purports to showcase pictorialism.
- The Financial Times reviewed the exhibition.
- The FT argues the best works represent the opposite of pictorialism.
- The review describes photography's subversive power shining through the dross.
- The exhibition is presented at Tate Modern in London.
- The source does not state a closing date, curator, or full list of works.
Entities
Institutions
- Tate Modern
- Financial Times
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom