Revelations, the new exhibition at the Science Museum, looks at the influence of early scientific photography on modern and contemporary art and features some of the rarest images in the world from the pioneers of photography.
Some of the rarest scientific photographs from the National Photography Collection are on display for the first time, including an original negative of X-Ray and 19th century photographs capturing electrical charge. From the 1840s, scientists were using photography to record things too large, too small or too fast for the human eye to see. William Henry Fox Talbot’s experiments with photomicrography are on show here alongside iconic works by fellow pioneers Eadweard Muybridge and Étienne-Jules Marey.
Revelations goes on to explore the impact of both the technical and aesthetic insights of early scientific photography on photographic art with works by 20th century masters of the art such as Man Ray, György Kepes and László Moholy-Nagy and contemporary photographic artists such as Hiroshi Sugimoto and Walead Beshty.
There are some truly stunning photographs on show here that illustrate the little known or understood part that scientific photography has played in the development of photographic art. This is an incredibly original exhibition that explores that point where science and art meet. Fascinating.
Exhibition open until 13th September 2015
Admission £8
Opening times:
Daily
10am to 6pm
last entry 5.15pm
South Kensington,
The London Art File 