Looking Forward

In “Looking Forward,” we are bringing together 12 contemporary photographers who are pushing the boundaries of photography. From artists experimenting with abstraction to those iterating on centuries-long traditions, these artists are contributing to the future of the medium.

For German photographer Jessica Backhaus, “colors are emotions.” In her “Cut Outs” series, Backhaus lets vibrantly-colored geometric cutouts of transparent paper react to the heat of intense sunlight over a period of time. She then photographs the results, documenting the ways in which the paper reacts and shadows appear and morph, relinquishing control of the final outcome.

Julie Blackmon and Paulette Tavormina are both looking backward to reimagine art historical tropes as photographs. Tavormina composes lush, vibrant still lifes reminiscent of the Dutch masters of the 17th and 18th centuries. Filled with supple fruit, buzzing insects, and subtle reminders of death and mortality, she plays on the photorealistic nature of Dutch still lifes by literally capturing the familiar images in photo.

Blackmon looks to a similar time period in the history of art, but focuses on a different subject. Inspired by Dutch and Flemish tavern scenes from the 17th century, she focuses on the people and places in her small community in Missouri. Smoke (2021) appears carefully and intentionally composed, but the scene itself is organic: “It’s a fun perspective to have…to see the world around you as a potential story or idea,” she says.

In addition to Backhaus, Blackmon, and Tavormina, “Looking Forward” includes recent works by Arne Svenson, Cig Harvey, Alex Webb, Rebecca Norris Webb, Han Feng, Jeffrey Milstein, Bill Jacobson, Rania Matar, and Gohar Dashti.