This exhibition has been a victim of two COVID lockdowns and was originally due to open in June, and then in November. With London in COVID Tier 2 it will now open on 8 December 2020 and run until 9 May 2021... Unearthed traces the rich history of the medium through depictions of nature, with over 100 works by 41 leading international artists. Unearthed: Photography's Roots will reveal the fascinating technical processes and narratives behind these images, showcasing innovations in photography by key figures including William Henry Fox Talbot and Imogen Cunningham as well as several overlooked photographers including rare works by Japanese artist, Kazumasa Ogawa and the English gardener, Charles Jones. Jones’ striking modernist photographs of plants remained unknown for 20 years after his death, until they were discovered in a trunk at Bermondsey Market in 1981.
Curator Alexander Moore, Creative Producer at Dulwich Picture Gallery said: "Nature is a constant, and there’s a reason that artists through the centuries have always returned to it…the social landscape changes, media influences change, even geography changes. But nature is this enduring force. We can’t help but be inspired because it’s unwavering."
The exhibition opens with some of the first known Victorian images by Talbot, with his experiments with paper negatives, and will also feature many works by one of the first female photographers Anna Atkins. Focusing on botany and science throughout, themes range from typology and form to experiments with colour and modernism. The show culminates with more recent advancements in photography, from the glamour and eroticism of artists Robert Mapplethorpe and Nobuyoshi Araki, to experimentations with still life compositions by Richard Learoyd.
The Gallery's mausoleum will host a contemporary installation from renowned video artist Ori Gersht, On Reflection reimagines a still life painting by Jan Brueghel the elder, and has never before been on show in the UK.
Unearthed: Photography's Roots
8 December 2020 - 9 May 2021
See more about the exhibition, opening times and booking here: https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/2020/june/unearthed/
Comments
Lovely close-up veg snap of cauliflowers in the exhibition. May I share a snap of my Jerusalem artichokes dug up today some of which I've cooked with my very late evening chicken hotpot meal? Thank you