Photography

In the twenty-first century, photography has almost fully transformed from a light-sensitive, chemically based medium to one that uses digital technologies for image capture, storage, and dissemination. As the volume and mutability of images increase, the responsibility of understanding photography and its histories has become increasingly urgent. Working in the wake of these changes and in the tradition of twentieth-century avant-gardes, artists represented in the Haukohl Collection have explored the nature of photography in various ways. Some have journeyed back to early photographic methods, using chemical processes to make cameraless photographs directly on paper. Others question the idea of medium specificity, blending photography with painting, sculpture, film, and performance. Many of the artists are concerned with the construction, materiality, and circulation of photographic images, particularly in relation to consumer culture. Future growth of the collection within this area might include works by artists who abandon paper as a material support for the image, moving fully into the digital realm.