Robe Balanciaga

Black & White, an aesthetic of Photography

Last weekend, I visited the virtual exhibition Black & White, an aesthetic of Photography presented by Le Grand Palais.

As you probably know, I love black and white photography (I wrote several articles about it in this blog, from the first one dedicated to Photography to those focusing on Sebastiao Salgado or Peter Lindbergh ‘s works, and several black and white fashion ad campaigns as well).

I was thus thrilled to visit an exhibition totally dedicated to black and white photography and its particular aesthetic.

Black and white photography is timeless and profound.

It is delicate, sharp and strong.

It is nostalgic, and incredibly modern.

Black & White, an aesthetic of Photography is a captivating exhibition that presents more than 330 works of various photographs – famous and less famous – through their personal approaches and visions of black and white in photography, mainly during the 20th century.

From abstract art to realistic pictures, from urban architecture to living beings, this exhibition showed the versatility of the aesthetic of black and white photography and how photographs used it for the expression of their own art.

Noir et Blanc, une esthétique de la photographie
Noir et Blanc, une esthétique de la photographie

Rather than a style, photographing in black and white is a choice.

It is poetic and strong.
It conveys a lot in just one picture.
It is both delicate and very precise.

Deux callas, Imogen Cunningham
Deux callas, Imogen Cunningham
Venise, Willy Ronis
Venise, Willy Ronis
Derriere la gare St Lazare
Derriere la gare St Lazare, Henri Cartier-Bresson
A bord du Mistral
A bord du Mistral, Charles Harbutt

In this exhibition, we could see how the photographs used contrasts, shades, light and shadows to create their works. How the details of their pictures could look like drawings, how the details of natural elements were mind-blowing. How their pictures could be minimal or full of details.

Abstraction, ombre d'un porche, Connecticut
Abstraction, ombre d’un porche, Connecticut

Jean Michel Fauquet, Citrouille
Jean Michel Fauquet, Citrouille
Jeune Fille au Leica
Jeune Fille au Leica, Rodchenko
Bar sur la plage
Bar sur la plage
Robe Balanciaga
Robe Balenciaga, Cecil Beaton

These works show a perfect mastering of this special discipline that is black and white photography.

It’s outstanding.

For more about black and white photography, visit my Pinterest board dedicated to it here.


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