Now on
Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography
14 Oct 2026 — 21 Feb 2027 at Tate Modern
· London
"Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography" explores the fascinating moment in history when photography first emerged as a legitimate artistic medium. The exhibition traces the ambitions, experiments, and breakthroughs of the early photographers who dared to see the camera not merely as a mechanical recorder of reality, but as a tool for creative expression.
From the delicate luminosity of pioneering prints to the bold compositional choices that challenged the conventions of painting, the works on display reveal how a new generation of image-makers redefined what art could be. Visitors are invited to discover the technical ingenuity and aesthetic vision that gave birth to art photography as we know it today.
From the delicate luminosity of pioneering prints to the bold compositional choices that challenged the conventions of painting, the works on display reveal how a new generation of image-makers redefined what art could be. Visitors are invited to discover the technical ingenuity and aesthetic vision that gave birth to art photography as we know it today.
About the venue
Tate Modern
· London
Tate Modern is an art gallery in London, housing the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art. It forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is located in the former Bankside Power Station, in the Bankside…
