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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Celebrating Life - #3
Giacomo Pirozzi
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.5 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch
$809
Couple - série scène de vie figurative
Dominique Cahier
Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.2 cm Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
$1,375
Shopping on 57th and 6th
John Migicovsky
Photography - 30.5 x 40.6 x 1.3 cm Photography - 12 x 16 x 0.5 inch
$800
Fifth Avenue Admiral
John Migicovsky
Photography - 30.5 x 40.6 x 1.3 cm Photography - 12 x 16 x 0.5 inch
$800
Coluche - Iconic portraits
Arnaud Baumann
Photography - 30 x 20 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0 inch
$520
Trinità dei Monti, Roma
Fabrizio La Torre
Photography - 60 x 42 x 0.3 cm Photography - 23.6 x 16.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,907
Où est Charlie ? XI
Tanguy Mendrisse
Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$451
Spirit of Forest
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 130 x 97 x 10 cm Photography - 51.2 x 38.2 x 3.9 inch
$4,277
Paris 13ème "Olympiades Vibes N°2" (M)
Papa Mesk
Photography - 80 x 45 x 1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch
$925
Paris 13 ème "Olympiades Vibes N°1"
Papa Mesk
Photography - 80 x 45 x 1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch
$925
Paris 13 ème Olympiades Vibes N°3
Papa Mesk
Photography - 80 x 45 x 1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch
$925
Sumatra, Indonesia (XL)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 89.9 x 59.9 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 inch
$18,500
Siberia, Russia (L)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 59.9 x 50 cm Photography - 23.6 x 19.7 inch
$11,000
South Sudan (XL)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 89.9 x 59.9 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 inch
$18,500
Eliane, from the Yawanawá tribe, Kampa do Rio Amônea Indigenous Territory, State of Acre, Brazil (XL)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 61 x 88.9 cm Photography - 24 x 35 inch
$18,500
Kamayurá pajés (shamans). Xingu Indigenous Territory, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil (XL)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 61 x 88.9 cm Photography - 24 x 35 inch
$18,500
Josane and Aldeni, Residents of Communities in the Demini River Region, Yanomami Indigenous Territory, State of Amazonas, Brazil (XL)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 61 x 88.9 cm Photography - 24 x 35 inch
$18,500
Manda Yawanawá, from the Village of Escondido, Rio Gregório Indigenous Territory, State of Acre, Brazil (S)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 27.9 x 35.6 cm Photography - 11 x 14 inch
$9,500
Adão Yawanawá in a Headdress of Eagle Feathers, Village of Nova Esperança Rio Gregório Indigenous Territory, State of Acre, Brazil (S)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 27.9 x 35.6 cm Photography - 11 x 14 inch
$9,500
Kampa do Rio Amônea Indigenous Territory, State of Acre, Brazil (M)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 cm Photography - 20 x 16 inch
$10,000
14 juillet 1936 - Rue Saint Antoine Paris
Willy Ronis
Photography - 30 x 40 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 inch
$3,352
Serge Gainsbourg au Palace
Arnaud Baumann
Photography - 30 x 20 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0 inch
$520
L'ombre des âges
Tanguy Mendrisse
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$185
Rue Mouffetard
Uwe Ommer
Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.3 cm Photography - 23.62 x 15.74 x 0.1 inch
$1,500
L'aube de la première descente
Tanguy Mendrisse
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$220
Zouin My Maroc #10
Karine Nicolleau
Photography - 50 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0 inch
$578
Zouin My Maroc #9
Karine Nicolleau
Photography - 50 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0 inch
$578
Zouin My Maroc #8
Karine Nicolleau
Photography - 50 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0 inch
$578
The southern gentleman
James Sparshatt
Photography - 80 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 47.2 x 0 inch
$3,432
Anboto, Mari's home (Identity Testimonies series)
Imanol Marrodán
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$578
Luna Toscana
Tanguy Mendrisse
Photography - 60 x 80 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0 inch
$451
Photographie fine art - Deux arbres heureux : paysage hivernal minimaliste en noir et blanc
Adrianna MJW
Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.8 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.3 inch
$347 $312
Kuwait modern old city
Ali Buhamad
Photography - 50 x 40 x 5 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 x 2 inch
$1,156
Winter math, From the series winter soul
Nino Alavidze
Photography - 19 x 29 x 0.1 cm Photography - 7.5 x 11.4 x 0 inch
$800
Igi, From the series winter soul
Nino Alavidze
Photography - 19 x 29 x 0.1 cm Photography - 7.5 x 11.4 x 0 inch
$800
Forest grave, From the series winter soul
Nino Alavidze
Photography - 19 x 29 x 0.1 cm Photography - 7.5 x 11.4 x 0 inch
$800
Richard Harris – Malta, 1973
David Steen
Photography - 86 x 61 x 0.01 cm Photography - 33.9 x 24 x 0 inch
$1,994
Gaudí 028
Ivanna Alejandra Sanchez Moretti
Photography - 60 x 80 cm Photography - 23.6 x 31.5 inch
$925
Miami Stripes 09 11bn
Luca Artioli
Photography - 114.3 x 177.8 x 0.3 cm Photography - 45 x 70 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Journey - Limited Edition of 20 Fine Art Prints
Mario Tarantino
Photography - 100 x 140 x 0.3 cm Photography - 39.4 x 55.1 x 0.1 inch
$1,290
Vanity of vanities, all is vanity
Christa David
Photography - 121.9 x 91.4 x 2 cm Photography - 48 x 36 x 0.8 inch
$5,433
Yseult - Paris - L'Olympia - Concert d'IBEYI - série photo noir et blanc
Lucas Perrigot
Photography - 59.4 x 84.1 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.4 x 33.1 x 0 inch
$694
Nadege - Paris - Bibliothèque François Mitterand - série photo noir et blanc danse et architecture
Lucas Perrigot
Photography - 59.4 x 84.1 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.4 x 33.1 x 0 inch
$668
Liliboy - La pause - Nord-sur-Erdre - Festival La Nuit de l'Erdre - Groupe Deluxe 2019 - série photo noir et blanc
Lucas Perrigot
Photography - 59.4 x 84.1 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.4 x 33.1 x 0 inch
$668
Leron Thomas trompettiste - Nantes - Stéréolux - Concert de GUTS - série photo noir et blanc
Lucas Perrigot
Photography - 59.4 x 84.1 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.4 x 33.1 x 0 inch
$668
Jimmy Jay - Saint-Herblain - La Carrière - Festival Hip Opsession 2013 - série photo concert noir et blanc
Lucas Perrigot
Photography - 59.4 x 84.1 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.4 x 33.1 x 0 inch
$668
IBEYI - Deux minutes avant la scène - Paris - L'Olympia - série photo concert noir et blanc
Lucas Perrigot
Photography - 59.4 x 84.1 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.4 x 33.1 x 0 inch
$694
Coste Hôtel Dieu - Nantes - série photo noir et blanc danse et architecture
Lucas Perrigot
Photography - 59.4 x 84.1 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.4 x 33.1 x 0 inch
$668
Rembrandt, Frederick Rihel
Lucio Forte
Painting - 29 x 22 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.4 x 8.7 x 0 inch
$150
Abstract Desert Reflections n°308
Harry James Moody
Painting - 121.9 x 152.4 x 5.1 cm Painting - 48 x 60 x 2 inch
$11,500
Keith Richard’s, Baton Rouge
Bob Gruen
Photography - 50.8 x 55.9 x 1.3 cm Photography - 20 x 22 x 0.5 inch
$4,000
Ladies Tea Party
Michael Putland
Photography - 61 x 51 x 0.01 cm Photography - 24 x 20.1 x 0 inch
$2,023
Angus Young AC/DC
Michael Putland
Photography - 61 x 51 x 0.01 cm Photography - 24 x 20.1 x 0 inch
$2,023