Articles

German photographer Candida Höfer captures Mexican architecture through a series of large-format photographs taken during a 2015 cultural exchange. Her images showcase empty civic institutions such as churches, theaters, and hospitals, emphasizing the interplay between space and social psychology. Höfer’s work spans diverse architectural styles from neoclassical to art deco, highlighting Mexico’s rich architectural heritage. Her precise attention to light, shadow, and detail invites viewers to closely engage with the interiors’ symmetry and essence. The series was exhibited at the Sean Kelly Gallery in Manhattan in early 2019. Read Article

Candida Höfer's exhibition at Sean Kelly Gallery, titled "Candida Höfer – In Mexico," features her large-format, geometric photographs of Mexican architecture and interiors. The works focus on themes spanning indigenous culture, the Catholic Church, political independence struggles, and modernism. Höfer's precise images capture sites like the 17th-century Iglesia de Santa Maria Tonantzintla and the Hospicio Cabañas, highlighting their historical and sociopolitical significance. The exhibition also explores the installation context of the photos, presenting multiple views of the same locations to create dynamic spatial relationships. Read Article

Candida Höfer’s exhibition “In Mexico” at Sean Kelly Gallery features 26 color photographs taken in 2015, depicting Mexico’s ornate architectural interiors including theaters, churches, and museums. The works range in size and are printed as c-prints with editions of six plus artist proofs. Alongside the photographs, two HD slide projections from 2016 present additional imagery featuring textures and architectural geometries. Höfer’s characteristic style of people-free, detailed, and exacting compositions is evident, yet some images use optical flattening and closer focuses to explore new perspectives within her established aesthetic. A monograph with 65 color images was published in 2016 by Distanz. Read Article

Soulmaker: The Times of Lewis Hine is an exhibition at Stanford University's Cantor Arts Center showcasing the powerful photographs of Lewis Hine, who documented child labor in early 20th century America. The exhibition pairs Hine's haunting images of children working in mills and factories with contemporary photos of the same sites by Jason Francisco, highlighting the passage of time and transformation of these spaces. Curated by Alexander Nemerov, the exhibit explores Hine's work not only as historical documents but as evocative art capturing fleeting moments and the human soul. A companion book from Princeton University Press accompanies the exhibition. Read Article

The exhibition "A Long Arc: Photography and the American South since 1845," held at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, presents over 200 photographs spanning more than 175 years. It explores the complex and evolving identity of the American South through documentary and artistic photography, highlighting themes such as race, culture, history, and social justice. The show addresses periods from the Antebellum South and Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement and contemporary issues, illustrating both the region's beauty and its troubled legacy of violence and inequality. It features works by notable photographers including Lewis Hine, Dorothea Lange, and Walker Evans. Read Article

Alexander Nemerov, an art history scholar, discusses Lewis Hine's photography, which documented child labor in the late 19th century and influenced child labor law reforms. Nemerov’s recent exhibition at the Cantor Arts Center and his book, Soulmaker: The Life and Times of Lewis Hine, offer a contemporary perspective on Hine’s emotionally powerful images. Nemerov also collaborated with photographer Jason Francisco to photograph sites featured in Hine’s work as they appear today, highlighting themes of memory and loss. The interview explores Hine’s artistic significance beyond his role as a documentarian. Read Article

The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University presents "Soulmaker: The Times of Lewis Hine," an exhibition exploring the poignant and artistic photography of Lewis Hine, who documented child labor in early 20th century America. Alongside Hine’s haunting images of children in factories and mills, contemporary photos by Jason Francisco show these same sites today, highlighting changes over time. Curated by Alexander Nemerov, the exhibition emphasizes the emotional depth and historical significance of Hine’s work, which helped prompt reforms in child labor laws. Read Article

The partnership of David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson formed in Edinburgh in 1843 was one of the earliest and most important collaborations in photography. Utilizing the calotype process, they produced portraits, landscapes, and social documentary works, significantly influencing photography worldwide. Their studio at Rock House became a hub for Edinburgh’s artistic, literary, and scientific community, capturing notable figures and everyday scenes. Despite Adamson's early death in 1848, their photographs remain iconic for their spontaneity and social insight. Hill continued to promote photography and completed their joint painting project years later. Read Article

In the mid-1840s, Scottish painter and photographer duo David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson pioneered artistic photography using the calotype process. Encouraged by scientist Sir David Brewster, Adamson established Edinburgh’s first professional calotype studio. Their work began with photographic sketches of ministers from the 1843 Free Church of Scotland Disruption, aiding Hill’s ambitious historical painting project. Together, they produced nearly 3,000 images over four and a half years, capturing portraits, landscapes, and local scenes. Their innovative collaboration laid foundations for photographic portraiture, ending only with Adamson’s death in 1848 due to illness. Read Article

In the mid-1840s, Scottish painter and photographer duo David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson pioneered artistic photography using the calotype process. Encouraged by scientist Sir David Brewster, Adamson established Edinburgh’s first professional calotype studio. Their work began with photographic sketches of ministers from the 1843 Free Church of Scotland Disruption, aiding Hill’s ambitious historical painting project. Together, they produced nearly 3,000 images over four and a half years, capturing portraits, landscapes, and local scenes. Their innovative collaboration laid foundations for photographic portraiture, ending only with Adamson’s death in 1848 due to illness. Read Article

Erik Hijweege, a photographer and ambrotypist, created a compelling series titled “Endangered, On Ice,” featuring ambrotypes of endangered animal species frozen on ice. Inspired by the discovery of a nearly perfectly preserved frozen mammoth, Hijweege used the fragile wet plate collodion process to capture the animals’ fragile existence. Collaborating with the Dutch Natural History Museum and the IUCN Red List, Hijweege highlights the beauty and vulnerability of species like the Sumatran Tiger and Asian Elephant. His goal is to raise awareness and encourage preservation efforts through artistic expression. Read Article

Award-winning photographer Chester Higgins' book Sacred Nile offers a profound visual journey through the spiritual heritage of the Nile Valley. The collection showcases sacred sites and rituals from Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, highlighting the ancient roots of major world religions such as Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Through meticulously captured images, Higgins documents centuries-old religious practices and the bond between the African landscape and faith. The book also challenges Eurocentric narratives by emphasizing black contributions to ancient civilizations and religious traditions. Read Article