Black and white

Photography, No77 Spirit, Yevgeniy Repiashenko

No77 Spirit

Yevgeniy Repiashenko

Photography - 91 x 91 x 0.1 cm

$1,666

Photography, Men's World 2, Olha Stepanian

Men's World 2

Olha Stepanian

Photography - 78.7 x 78.7 cm

$1,850

Photography, Sans titre, Julien Drogoul

Sans titre

Julien Drogoul

Photography - 60 x 90 x 0.3 cm

$1,016

Photography, lusclnuS, Louis Blanc

lusclnuS

Louis Blanc

Photography - 70 x 70 x 1 cm

$1,129

Photography, Chrissie Hynde, Paris, Pierre Terrasson

Chrissie Hynde, Paris

Pierre Terrasson

Photography - 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm

$1,694

Photography, Recconais qu'il y a toujours une inconnue, Julie Peiffer

Recconais qu'il y a toujours une inconnue

Julie Peiffer

Photography - 62 x 40 x 0.5 cm

$1,355

Photography, Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 01, Matthias Conrad

Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 01

Matthias Conrad

Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm

$1,976

Photography, E.Doll n°65, Softtwix

E.Doll n°65

Softtwix

Photography - 52 x 78 x 0.1 cm

$1,807

Photography, Marilyn Glamour 2010, Russell Young

Marilyn Glamour 2010

Russell Young

Photography - 92 x 72 x 2 cm

$19,198

Photography, Human Nature Pt. 1, Brendan North

Human Nature Pt. 1

Brendan North

Photography - 40.6 x 25.4 cm

$1,650

Photography, L'Escalier, Christophe Battifero

L'Escalier

Christophe Battifero

Photography - 50 x 75 x 0.5 cm

$655

Photography, Évasion, Tanguy Mendrisse

Évasion

Tanguy Mendrisse

Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm

$181

Photography, Upper Glasses Royal Ascot, Arthur Steel

Upper Glasses Royal Ascot

Arthur Steel

Photography - 48 x 61 x 1 cm

$2,061

Print, Observers, X New Worlds

Observers

X New Worlds

Print - 70 x 70 x 0.1 cm

$666

Photography, Richard Harris – Malta, 1973, David Steen

Richard Harris – Malta, 1973

David Steen

Photography - 86 x 61 x 0.01 cm

$1,948

Photography, City Palace. Udaipur. Inde., Olivier Perrin

City Palace. Udaipur. Inde.

Olivier Perrin

Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.2 cm

$847

Photography, Keith Richards, John Rowlands

Keith Richards

John Rowlands

Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm

$1,350

Photography, The picture of emotions and other ailments of a sensitive human I, Joanna Chudy

The picture of emotions and other ailments of a sensitive human I

Joanna Chudy

Photography - 60 x 50 cm

$847

Photography, Le Temps des Grenadines n° 47, Dan Aucante

Le Temps des Grenadines n° 47

Dan Aucante

Photography - 30 x 40 x 2.5 cm

$960

Photography, Dear Irving..., Mourad Cherifi

Dear Irving...

Mourad Cherifi

Photography - 45 x 30 x 0.02 cm

$1,355

Print, Ein-Stein-Zeit, Joseph Beuys

Ein-Stein-Zeit

Joseph Beuys

Print - 28.5 x 40 x 1 cm

$3,388

Photography, Madison Man, Ian Wallace

Madison Man

Ian Wallace

Photography - 50.8 x 40.64 x 0.1 cm

$1,694

Photography, Bilbao 30/09/2010 15:22h. (Identity Promises Series), Imanol Marrodán

Bilbao 30/09/2010 15:22h. (Identity Promises Series)

Imanol Marrodán

Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm

$960

Print, Reach for the Sky, Rachel Jeraffi

Reach for the Sky

Rachel Jeraffi

Print - 60.96 x 91.44 x 1 cm

$2,484

Print, Jim Morrison, Bill Degadans

Jim Morrison

Bill Degadans

Print - 90 x 60 x 0.3 cm

$1,412

Photography, Rolling Stones (1998), Kevin Westenberg

Rolling Stones (1998)

Kevin Westenberg

Photography - 40 x 51 cm

$1,999

Photography, Shoot again (887), Yves Cham

Shoot again (887)

Yves Cham

Photography - 45 x 60 x 0.01 cm

$1,355

Photography, Succession, David Yarrow

Succession

David Yarrow

Photography - 180 x 274 x 5 cm

$45,172

Photography, Les femmes guerrières, Charles Bayonne

Les femmes guerrières

Charles Bayonne

Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.5 cm

$1,355

Photography, Trimmed in Grace, Drew Doggett

Trimmed in Grace

Drew Doggett

Photography - 68.6 x 45.7 x 0.3 cm

$1,900

Photography, Ali In Training, Russell McPhedran

Ali In Training

Russell McPhedran

Photography - 76 x 101 x 0.001 cm

$1,073

Photography, Dan Waka, Kamal Obat

Dan Waka

Kamal Obat

Photography - 59.4 x 84.1 x 0.3 cm

$620

Photography, Last London Bus, Bert Hardy

Last London Bus

Bert Hardy

Photography - 31 x 41 x 0.01 cm

$1,242

Photography, Marilyn on the Roof, Ed Feingersh

Marilyn on the Roof

Ed Feingersh

Photography - 51 x 41 cm

$559

Photography, Mur 001, Sophie Bassouls

Mur 001

Sophie Bassouls

Photography - 33 x 48 x 1 cm

$847

Photography, Carry On Tea Break, Larry Ellis

Carry On Tea Break

Larry Ellis

Photography - 76 x 101 cm

$1,355

Photography, Cigarette et cendrier, Pierre Boillon

Cigarette et cendrier

Pierre Boillon

Photography - 60 x 42 x 3 cm

$610

Fine Art Drawings, Mirada Frontal IV, Teresa Riba

Mirada Frontal IV

Teresa Riba

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 71 cm

$1,016

Photography, The girl from Seville #4 - Slices of Life Series, Anna Levesh

The girl from Seville #4 - Slices of Life Series

Anna Levesh

Photography - 100 x 75 cm

$1,005

Photography, Michael Jackson VI, David Nutter

Michael Jackson VI

David Nutter

Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm

$2,550

Photography, David Bowie - Lincoln Centre, NYC 1995, Richard Beland

David Bowie - Lincoln Centre, NYC 1995

Richard Beland

Photography - 61 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm

$2,550

Photography, The eyes, Samuel Cueto

The eyes

Samuel Cueto

Photography - 40 x 50 x 1 cm

$1,016

Photography, Kashi, John Kenny

Kashi

John Kenny

Photography - 67 x 45 x 2 cm

$1,299

Photography, La Glaneuse, Marie Dorigny

La Glaneuse

Marie Dorigny

Photography - 38 x 58 x 0.1 cm

$1,581

Print, Portrait de B, Claude Weisbuch

Portrait de B

Claude Weisbuch

Print - 76 x 56 cm

$791

Photography, Yosemite National Park. USA on the road, Tina Smeraldi

Yosemite National Park. USA on the road

Tina Smeraldi

Photography - 40 x 60 cm

$1,976 $1,779

Photography, Tenerife, Anaga Forest, Fabien Olart

Tenerife, Anaga Forest

Fabien Olart

Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm

$565

Photography, Sci sull'acqua Venezia, Vittorio Pavan

Sci sull'acqua Venezia

Vittorio Pavan

Photography - 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm

$734

Print, Urban Symphony, Thomas  Canto

Urban Symphony

Thomas Canto

Print - 70 x 90 cm

$973

Photography, Palm Light Tree, Hugo Gus Babey

Palm Light Tree

Hugo Gus Babey

Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm

$960

Photography, Ensayo, James Sparshatt

Ensayo

James Sparshatt

Photography - 40 x 50 cm

$1,047

Photography, Ki no kioku (Memory of tree), ise-jingu, Ise city, Mie prefecture, 2023-11, n°1, Teddy Peix

Ki no kioku (Memory of tree), ise-jingu, Ise city, Mie prefecture, 2023-11, n°1

Teddy Peix

Photography - 17 x 20 x 0.01 cm

$305

Photography, Twisted Branch, Jan Gordon

Twisted Branch

Jan Gordon

Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 x 0.4 cm

$950

Photography, Cooling Tour, Cécile Baldewyns

Cooling Tour

Cécile Baldewyns

Photography - 40 x 60 cm

$903

Photography, Nature-morte aux pinceaux, Pierre Brochet

Nature-morte aux pinceaux

Pierre Brochet

Photography - 30 x 40 cm

$508

Photography, L'envol, Philippe Grincourt

L'envol

Philippe Grincourt

Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm

$1,073

Photography, N°2076, Jean-Paul Baret

N°2076

Jean-Paul Baret

Photography - 110 x 60 cm

$926

Painting, Sur le sable, Valérie Betoulaud

Sur le sable

Valérie Betoulaud

Painting - 48 x 55 x 1 cm

$1,468

Photography, fkaTwigs, Kate Garner

fkaTwigs

Kate Garner

Photography - 101.6 x 76.2 x 0.3 cm

$3,200

Photography, Love, Petite Poissone

Love

Petite Poissone

Photography - 23 x 29 x 2 cm

$486

Photography, Noir 01 “Black River”, Hengki Koentjoro

Noir 01 “Black River”

Hengki Koentjoro

Photography - 43 x 43 x 0.02 cm

$1,073

Photography, Untitled XXIX. From the Series Chiromorphose, Nico Baixas / Gos-com-fuig

Untitled XXIX. From the Series Chiromorphose

Nico Baixas / Gos-com-fuig

Photography - 99.8 x 99.8 x 0.3 cm

$2,750

Photography, Bruma Portfolio, Miguel Winograd

Bruma Portfolio

Miguel Winograd

Photography - 35.6 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm

$3,000

Print, M408, Jesús Perea

M408

Jesús Perea

Print - 100 x 70 cm

$1,646

Sculpture, Sin título (Prayer Flags Series), Imanol Marrodán

Sin título (Prayer Flags Series)

Imanol Marrodán

Sculpture - 45 x 52 x 0.5 cm

$250

Photography, Nude Carla Bruni a genoux, Harper Bazar, Philippe Robert

Nude Carla Bruni a genoux, Harper Bazar

Philippe Robert

Photography - 110 x 82 x 2 cm

$12,422

Painting, Without title (TP09AP11), Teresa Pera

Without title (TP09AP11)

Teresa Pera

Painting - 76.5 x 58 x 0.1 cm

$1,107

Print, Work 19, Katsuro Yoshida

Work 19

Katsuro Yoshida

Print - 47.4 x 63.6 x 0.1 cm

$6,663

Print, Digging for clams, Slim Aarons

Digging for clams

Slim Aarons

Print - 101 x 101 cm

$3,744

Photography, Still Cassius Clay V, Gerry Cranham

Still Cassius Clay V

Gerry Cranham

Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm

$1,118

Fine Art Drawings, N°649 Iceberg, Jérémie Iordanoff

N°649 Iceberg

Jérémie Iordanoff

Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 31 cm

$565

Photography, Urbain brutalisme - Digital Art digigraphie, Claire Giraudeau

Urbain brutalisme - Digital Art digigraphie

Claire Giraudeau

Photography - 40 x 30 cm

$169

Photography, Grand Ecran 14, Bruno Fournier

Grand Ecran 14

Bruno Fournier

Photography - 17 x 31 x 1 cm

$960

Photography, Things aren't always what they seem, On Hansen

Things aren't always what they seem

On Hansen

Photography - 69 x 100 x 0.3 cm

$1,500

Photography, Elvis Presley, Harry Hammond

Elvis Presley

Harry Hammond

Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 cm

$932

Photography, Mada 3, Olivier Le Brun

Mada 3

Olivier Le Brun

Photography - 30 x 45 cm

$1,191

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled from the series Shifty Packets, Colleen Wolstenholme

Untitled from the series Shifty Packets

Colleen Wolstenholme

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 36 cm

$900

Photography, French Kiss, Pierrick Van Troost

French Kiss

Pierrick Van Troost

Photography - 70 x 47 cm

$2,259

Photography, La valise, Lewis Baltz

La valise

Lewis Baltz

Photography - 38 x 43.7 x 5 cm

$11,858

Photography, Rue Mouffetard, Uwe Ommer

Rue Mouffetard

Uwe Ommer

Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 0.3 cm

$1,800

Photography, Calligraphing en l'air #6, Cody Choi

Calligraphing en l'air #6

Cody Choi

Photography - 75 x 50 x 1.5 cm

$1,975

Photography, HRH Princess Elizabeth With HRH The Prince of Wales, Cecil Beaton

HRH Princess Elizabeth With HRH The Prince of Wales

Cecil Beaton

Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 cm

$1,304

Photography, La montée des eaux, Fabienne Cresens

La montée des eaux

Fabienne Cresens

Photography - 100 x 100 cm

$1,242

Photography, Ray Charles, Philippe Gras

Ray Charles

Philippe Gras

Photography - 60 x 60 x 0.3 cm

$1,073

Photography, Anonymous Face, Darios Tossou

Anonymous Face

Darios Tossou

Photography - 90 x 60 x 0.8 cm

$2,089

Photography, Petal hat, John French

Petal hat

John French

Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm

$1,101

Print, Reprojection I, Tobias Putrih

Reprojection I

Tobias Putrih

Print - 53 x 76 cm

$1,694

Painting, Lanterne Volante, Akiza

Lanterne Volante

Akiza

Painting - 170 x 85 x 2 cm

$2,259

Photography, Dont Walk, Karol Kállay

Dont Walk

Karol Kállay

Photography - 30 x 30 cm

$1,242

Black and white

Before the arrival of photography – with the exception of some etchings and lithographs – all the images we consumed were in colour. Quite simply, because no one would ever have thought to do anything else – why paint in black and white when colour was so readily available?

Yet despite this, today many photographers still choose to work in black and white – such as Pauline Théon, Kadir Von Lohuizen or Joh Lowenstein – even though their photos are taken in colour by the camera itself. Is the black and white trend a fleeting effect of fashion, or a symbolic return to the roots of the photography movement? Black and white photography has something that colour photos, despite recent innovations and the extraordinary quality of images today, cannot quite access. The use of black and white lends significant force to the composition: the contrasts, the shadows and the figures all stand out more strongly. People simply feel differently when faced with a colour photo versus a black and white image.

Colour is a distraction of sorts, a disturbance: colour is a nuisance.

And yet, some photographers still prefer colour to black and white, whilst others merge touches of colour with otherwise monochrome compositions. But in the end, all agree that both styles impose a totally different way of looking at a photo: from researching the shot to post production work, when artists develop or retouch the image. The use of colour is therefore something of a process in its own right, relating to two different ways of viewing the world and showing it others. The question, then, is what is being told, and why is it being in the way that it is?

The symbolic value of putting black and white together is a good starting point for reflecting on the fascination that they generate even today. There could not be a more fascinating, more striking ambivalence than when black, the 'colour' of darkness and burnt coal, considered a non-colour, is placed alongside white – representing light, and the result of all the colours merged together.

The problem faced by photographers today is that black and white still carry strong connotations of the past, of an era before the popularisation of colour and its massive cultural recovery amongst the press and photo journalists. In fact, it is rare now that contemporary subjects are photographed in colour, but we still associate black and white images with a retro feel.  

So what does contemporary art have to say about it all? Discover Artsper's selection of black and white works: on the border of past and present, of the real and the imaginary… let us guide you!

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