London's venerable National Gallery of Art has never mounted a significant photography exhibition. Naturally, when the curatorial staff decided to dip their toes in new waters, it was with context in mind. Mingling with paintings from the collection, the assorted photographs in Seduced By Art successfully explore how the camera has been influenced by other mediums, particularly painting.
Included in the exhibition are works by Thomas Stuth, Martin Parr, and Richard Learoyd (all shown here). The idea is to investigate how photographers from the mid-19th century to the present have employed fine art traditions to justify the possibilities of their art. The achievement, one must note, is in expressing this point through innovative gallery installation.
Seduced by Art: Photography Past & Present is on view through January 20, 2013.
