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Muguet-racine
Sébastien Chauchot
Photography - 40 x 35 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch
$447
Tiepolo 2 (La Barque)
Lorenzo Mattotti
Print - 75 x 106.5 x 0.1 cm Print - 29.5 x 41.9 x 0 inch
$447
Cabinet of Souls (Armoire à Âmes)
Laura Makabresku
Photography - 20 x 20 cm Photography - 7.9 x 7.9 inch
$363
Jamie Dornan, B&W Portrait intervened by the artists
Hunter & Gatti
Photography - 107 x 83 x 0.3 cm Photography - 42.1 x 32.7 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Untitled III. Photography intervened by the artists.
Hunter & Gatti
Photography - 107 x 83 x 0.3 cm Photography - 42.1 x 32.7 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Rossy de Palma. Photograph intervened by the artists.
Hunter & Gatti
Photography - 107 x 83 x 0.3 cm Photography - 42.1 x 32.7 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Amanda Lear - Salvator !
Klaus Roethlisberger
Photography - 70 x 58 x 0.2 cm Photography - 27.6 x 22.8 x 0.1 inch
$1,340
Sous Mac, Niteroï
Carol Aplogan
Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.3 cm Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
$781
Charles Aznavour
Franck Leclerc
Photography - 60 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$770
Arielle Dombasle
Franck Leclerc
Photography - 60 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$770
Benjamin Biolay
Franck Leclerc
Photography - 60 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$770
An Island in the Air
Urs Lüthi
Photography - 50 x 60 x 0.3 cm Photography - 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
$558
An Island in the air
Urs Lüthi
Photography - 50 x 60 x 0.3 cm Photography - 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
$558
Grandma divers VIII
Alain Schroeder
Photography - 120 x 80 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0 inch
$2,791
Grandma divers VI
Alain Schroeder
Photography - 120 x 80 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0 inch
$2,791
Grandma divers XV
Alain Schroeder
Photography - 120 x 80 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0 inch
$2,791
Grandma divers XVII
Alain Schroeder
Photography - 120 x 80 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0 inch
$2,791
Fernandel / Paris Match
Walter Carone
Photography - 50 x 75 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 29.5 x 0 inch
$1,786
Montand, Signoret / Paris Match
Walter Carone
Photography - 53 x 80 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20.9 x 31.5 x 0 inch
$2,233
Wakako, Photograph intervened by the artists
Hunter & Gatti
Photography - 44.5 x 54.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17.5 x 21.5 x 0.1 inch
$3,500
Tre Archi_02_2021
Serena Zeppilli
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$670
3K Project - Untitled N° 06
Steeve Bauras
Photography - 80 x 53 x 4 cm Photography - 31.5 x 20.9 x 1.6 inch
$2,233
Untitled 21 (Paris), From the series La Notte, Medium
Arslan Sükan
Photography - 50 x 75 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 29.5 x 0 inch
$4,000
Forêt d'Ardenne
Sébastien Chauchot
Photography - 35 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 13.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$391
Chardonnay1
Sébastien Chauchot
Photography - 35 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 13.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$391
Céréales 2
Sébastien Chauchot
Photography - 35 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 13.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$391
Après l'orage, Savoie
Sébastien Chauchot
Photography - 35 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 13.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$391
A Boy with a Sled, Winter
Alexander Sviyazov
Sculpture - 45 x 18.3 x 11.5 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 7.2 x 4.5 inch
$5,023
Caligraff 10
Richard Saint-Amans
Fine Art Drawings - 56 x 76 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 29.9 x 0 inch
$335
Dijon, the shadow
Fabien Olart
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$558
Sans titre (Un jour, une photo)
Aline Part
Photography - 67 x 50 x 0.2 cm Photography - 26.4 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$558
Autoportrait 1972 Hunger Pegof à la cigarette
Florian Hunger-Pegof
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.5 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch
$2,121
Fish Eye Autoportrait
Florian Hunger-Pegof
Photography - 30 x 20 x 0.5 cm Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.2 inch
$2,121
A Hard-Working Great Egret
Fenqiang Liu Photography
Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 x 0.25 cm Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.1 inch
$781
Wings of the Sky
Fenqiang Liu Photography
Photography - 60.96 x 76.2 x 0.25 cm Photography - 24 x 30 x 0.1 inch
$670
Fluidity of a woman IV
Katya Taneva
Photography - 120 x 80 x 0.2 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
$3,840 $3,456
Cyclos y Renacimientos
Diego Echevers Torrez
Photography - 33 x 33 x 0.1 cm Photography - 13 x 13 x 0 inch
$1,439
Don Ricardo
Diego Echevers Torrez
Photography - 33 x 33 x 0.1 cm Photography - 13 x 13 x 0 inch
$1,439
Doña Martha
Diego Echevers Torrez
Photography - 33 x 33 x 0.1 cm Photography - 13 x 13 x 0 inch
$1,439
El Sueño de la China
Diego Echevers Torrez
Photography - 33 x 33 x 0.1 cm Photography - 13 x 13 x 0 inch
$1,439
Fiestas y Sueños
Diego Echevers Torrez
Photography - 33 x 33 x 0.1 cm Photography - 13 x 13 x 0 inch
$1,439
Generaciones y Creencias
Diego Echevers Torrez
Photography - 33 x 33 x 0.1 cm Photography - 13 x 13 x 0 inch
$1,439
Rencontre cascade d'eau
San Zi
Painting - 100 x 130 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 51.2 x 1.2 inch
$26,908
Quatre sages sous la neige
San Zi
Painting - 110 x 90 x 3 cm Painting - 43.3 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch
$19,932
Une nuit à Malabar
Jean-Pierre Fleury
Photography - 100 x 100 cm Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 inch
$2,746
Carolyn Murphy, Portrait Photograph intervened by the artists.
Hunter & Gatti
Photography - 47 x 31.8 x 0.3 cm Photography - 18.5 x 12.5 x 0.1 inch
$2,500
Marilyn Getting Ready To Go Out in New York (1955)
Ed Feingersh
Photography - 61 x 51 cm Photography - 24 x 20.1 inch
$435
La Tour Seegmuller - 2
Jean Valera
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.6 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch
$212
Les Cités obscures - L'enfant penchée
François Schuiten
Print - 80 x 60 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 inch
$223
Michael Jackson XV
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson XIV
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson XIII
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson XII
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson XI
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson X
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson VIII
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson XVI
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson V
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson IV
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Randy Jackson IV
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Randy Jackson III
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Randy Jackson II
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
David Nutter Randy Jackson I
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson III
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson II
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Michael Jackson I
David Nutter
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,550
Man standing in front of house
Ken Heyman
Photography - 27.9 x 35.6 x 1.3 cm Photography - 11 x 14 x 0.5 inch
$4,000
Woman holding out hand
Ken Heyman
Photography - 27.9 x 35.6 x 1.3 cm Photography - 11 x 14 x 0.5 inch
$4,000
Children in boat
Ken Heyman
Photography - 27.9 x 35.6 x 1.3 cm Photography - 11 x 14 x 0.5 inch
$4,000
Surreal cemetary
Ken Heyman
Photography - 27.9 x 35.6 x 1.3 cm Photography - 11 x 14 x 0.5 inch
$4,000
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!