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New York Debutante
Slim Aarons
Photography - 51 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 16.1 x 0 inch
$2,176
Ituango, Pigment Prints
Miguel Winograd
Photography - 96 x 78 x 0.3 cm Photography - 37.8 x 30.7 x 0.1 inch
$900
1915 Nuages et tempête Tempest and clouds
Eugène Druet
Photography - 43 x 54 cm Photography - 16.9 x 21.3 inch
$2,164
Cinematography inspired session #28
Grzegorz Sikorski
Photography - 45 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 17.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$211
Cinematography inspired Session #24
Grzegorz Sikorski
Photography - 60 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$211
Dijon, the traveler
Fabien Olart
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$555
Marisa French Vogue Studios 1970
Anthony Horth
Photography - 30 x 25 x 0.2 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch
$1,200
Asphodel
Yevgeniy Repiashenko
Photography - 120 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0 inch
$2,908
Gare de Porto [Femme à la pastèque sur le quai], Portugal
José Nicolas
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$333
Photographes de playa, Porto, Portugal
José Nicolas
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$333
Music
Kalliope Amorphous
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 0.05 inch
$2,200
The Body Electric
Kalliope Amorphous
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 0.05 inch
$2,200
Lost Village_12
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 100 x 72 x 3.5 cm Photography - 39.4 x 28.3 x 1.4 inch
$1,332
Lost Village_14
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 100 x 72 x 3.5 cm Photography - 39.4 x 28.3 x 1.4 inch
$1,332
Spirit of Forest 23572352
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 35.6 x 29.3 x 3.5 cm Photography - 14 x 11.5 x 1.4 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 3246542
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 35.6 x 29.3 x 3.5 cm Photography - 14 x 11.5 x 1.4 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 324654
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 35.6 x 29.3 x 3.5 cm Photography - 14 x 11.5 x 1.4 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 324654_2
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 35.6 x 29.3 x 3.5 cm Photography - 14 x 11.5 x 1.4 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 203900
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 35.6 x 29.3 x 3.5 cm Photography - 14 x 11.5 x 1.4 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 87150
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 24565
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 12630
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 8412
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 7100
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 7090
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 4642
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 4629
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 3990
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2041
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2040
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2037
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2035
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2031
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2029
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2023
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2021
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 2005
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 865
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 718
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 700
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 404
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 212
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 49
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 23
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Spirit of Forest 22
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 40.8 x 28.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,776
Passages #812
Nagsoul
Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 100 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
$1,665
Unlikely Companions
Drew Doggett
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$2,875
Above the Clouds #1
Cody Choi
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.1 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 0 inch
$843
Éphémère Sensualité #1
Tanguy Mendrisse
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$211
Lx003. Lisbonne Portugal
Olivier Perrin
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.2 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
$499
Lx002. Lisbonne Portugal
Olivier Perrin
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.2 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
$499
Lx001. Lisbonne Portugal
Olivier Perrin
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.2 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
$499
Summer's Glory
Drew Doggett
Photography - 45.7 x 68.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 18 x 27 x 0.1 inch
$1,650
Palacio #5 - Palacio Series
Anna Levesh
Photography - 90 x 120 cm Photography - 35.4 x 47.2 inch
$1,210
Regard Blanc -Photographie digigraphie
Claire Giraudeau
Photography - 40 x 30 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 inch
$166
Riding the Wind
Anthony Horth
Photography - 50.8 x 71.1 x 1 cm Photography - 20 x 28 x 0.4 inch
$750
L’Ancienne Messe
Michaël Brack
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 37 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 14.6 inch
$666
La Grand Prêtre
Michaël Brack
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 inch
$666
Corrida portugaise [le Matador et le Taureau dans l'arène, vue d'ensemble avec le public dans les gradins], Portugal, 1985
José Nicolas
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$333
Corrida portugaise [le Matador et le Taureau dans l'arène], Portugal
José Nicolas
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$333
Corrida portugaise [le Matador, le Taureau et 7 Picadors dans l'arène], Portugal
José Nicolas
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$333
Corrida portugaise [Taureau et Picadors, affrontements dans l'arène], Portugal,
José Nicolas
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$333
Une star se baigne ? [sur la plage], Porto, Portugal
José Nicolas
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$333
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!