An Alternative History of Photography: Works from the Solander Collection

Fri 07 Oct 2022 - Sun 19 Feb 2023

New ways of looking at the traditions and timelines of photography

Portrait of a couple, sitting down

An Alternative History of Photography: Works from the Solander Collection

Fri 07 Oct 2022 - Sun 19 Feb 2023

New ways of looking at the traditions and timelines of photography

This event is part of our Past Programme

Teaser video for An Alternative History of Photography exhibition

The history of photography is often told as a chain of relationships connecting one great maker to the next. However, the real history is much more complicated: it is a vast web of interconnected stories stretching from East Asia to West Africa, and from New Zealand to Uzbekistan, and a complex interchange of fine art, scientific, anthropological, documentary and amateur traditions

Graham Howe & Phillip Prodger, from Curatorial, discuss the exhibition.

Image of three girls sitting down

With over 130 works from the Solander Collection, An Alternative History of Photography invites you to look again at well-known works and new discoveries by major artists, alongside forgotten greats, regional champions and unknown artists.

Unexpected images by legendary figures including Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Robert Frank, Man Ray and Edward Weston, are paired with work by  Helen Stuart and John Lindt, early, self-trained practitioner Lady Augusta Mostyn, and African studio photographers Sanlé Sory, Michel Kameni and Malick Sidibé.

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This exhibition is curated by Phillip Prodger and organised by Curatorial Exhibitions in collaboration with The Photographers’ Gallery. The exhibition is accompanied by a major new book, published by Prestel.

About the Solander Collection
Dedicated to the enjoyment and understanding of photographic art in all its forms, the Solander Collection has a special emphasis on international traditions, under-represented and forgotten artists, ethnic diversity and women. The aim of the collection is to broaden the understanding of photography as inclusive and democratic.

Cover of the Alternative History book, with a big graphic title and an orange cover

Buy the exhibition book here

Written by exhibition curator, Phillip Prodger and published by Prestel.

Order now