Then and Now: Photography and the Printed Image

“Photography and the Printed Image, Then and Now” brings a contemporary perspective to the shared histories of photography and print media. This exhibition pairs students from the Printmaking Department at Kansas City Art Institute with the Special Collections Department at Linda Hall Library. Working closely together, the students are directly inspired by research with photographs, prints and books in the archive. Contemporary art examining the conceptual and tangible sides of media will be on display alongside landmark works from the history of photography. This exhibition includes rare books and photographs from the History of Science collection at Linda Hall Library, as well as mixed-media artworks made with both old and new methods of printmaking and photography. These processes include: cyanotype, gum bichromate, intaglio printing, photolithography, photopolymer, photosilkscreen, relief printing, salted paper printing, and Van Dyke printing. Overall, the exhibition addresses themes from a historical and contemporary perspective–such as, the purpose of images in our lives, the craft of making images, how we use images culturally, and personal vision and expression within art and science.