Tate Modern's "Light and Magic" Traces Photography's Claim to Fine Art Through 15 Works
The Tate Modern is hosting the exhibition "Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography," which will be open until 21 February 2027. This showcase features Edward Weston's 1927 photograph of a nautilus shell, emphasizing the journey of photography towards gaining artistic status. The exhibition draws on collections, including those from the Royal Photographic Society at the V&A. Weston (1886–1958), recognized as a pioneer of straight photography, transitioned from pictorialism to a modernist approach. Additional highlights include Yevonde's 1935 portrait of Edith Hart-Davis, William Mortensen's altered print Nymph, Iwata Nakayama's 1941 photomontage Composition (Butterflies), along with contributions from Olive Cotton, Max Dupain, Paul Strand, Ho Fan, Wu Peng Seng, Luo Bonian, Alvin Langdon Coburn, Cavendish Morton, and Shapoor N Bhedwar.
Key facts
- Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography is on view at Tate Modern until 21 February 2027
- Edward Weston's Shells was made in 1927 in his California studio
- Yevonde's 1935 portrait shows Edith Hart-Davis as Ariel from The Tempest
- William Mortensen altered prints by hand with razor blades, inks, texture screens and mirror distortions
- Iwata Nakayama coined the term 'pure art photography' in 1928
- Olive Cotton's Teacup Ballet, 1935, used cups and saucers bought at Woolworths
- Shapoor N Bhedwar's Art Studies album contained 31 theatrically stylised photographs
- Max Dupain's Mother and Child, 1952, portrays his second wife and first child, Danina
Entities
Artists
- Yevonde
- Edith Hart-Davis
- Long Chin-San
- Edward Weston
- William Mortensen
- Francisco Goya
- Caspar David Friedrich
- Hieronymus Bosch
- Peter Henry Emerson
- Thomas Frederick Goodall
- Cavendish Morton
- Lizzie Avery
- Mattie Edwards
- Ho Fan
- Iwata Nakayama
- Olive Cotton
- Max Dupain
- Danina Dupain
- Cecil Bostock
- Paul Strand
- Alfred Stieglitz
- Alvin Langdon Coburn
- Wu Peng Seng
- Luo Bonian
- Shapoor Nusserwanjee Bhedwar
- William Shakespeare
- Elton John
- David Furnish
Institutions
- Tate Modern
- National Portrait Gallery
- Royal Photographic Society
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Group f/64
- Wilson Centre for Photography
- M+
- Sydney Camera Circle
- Photographic Society of New South Wales
- Photographic Society of Singapore
- National Gallery Singapore
- National Heritage Board
- Luo Bonian Art Foundation
- Three Shadows +3 Gallery
- Alkazi Collection of Photography
- London County School of Photo-Engraving
- Polytechnic School of Photography
- Woolworths
- The Guardian
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- California
- United States
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Sydney
- Australia
- New South Wales
- Singapore
- China
- New Mexico
- Boston
- Massachusetts
- Bombay
- Mumbai
- India
- Palm Springs
- Europe
- Asia
- Americas