Light in photography is a vast theme, described in countless publications and articles. Any given photograph or image may be analysed from the perspective of light. Thanks to light, we are able to see, take pictures, but also look at them. The history of photography, closely tied to scientific and technological progress, is specifically permeated with technological struggles related to registration of light. It is a history of attempts to ‘tame’ it, to record an image in the shortest time possible, or to create artificial conditions that will enable photographing despite its lack.
The book LUX, devoted to this subject, is a continuation of Emulsja, which touched upon the topic of photography’s materiality and its chemical properties. LUX is concerned with that which is immaterial, often undefined or invisible – which on one hand belongs to the sphere of physics, and on the other encapsulates a variety of meanings, and which, thanks to its complex symbolism – is an object of studies in art history, religious studies, and philosophy.
Marta Przybyło-Ibadullajev, responsible for the graphic design and selection of photographs in the book, brought together works by contemporary artists and archival photographs. Some of them have been accompanied by Jan Anderman’s written commentaries describing physical phenomena. In his essay, Jörg Colberg – a physicist, photographer, author of publications on contemporary photography, and the person behind the influential blog Conscientious Photography Magazine cphmag.com – also approaches photography from this perspective. The presented selection provides a set of tropes which open up a further exploration of this subject.
The word lux, meaning light in Latin, in its polysemy also refers to the wealth of visual sensations and phenomena which, thanks to light and photography, which relies on it, become part of our experience, too.
Authors of photographs: Ryota Atarashi, Kuba Bąkowski, Alexander Binder, Erika Blumenfeld, Gundula Blumi, Karolina Breguła, Jakub Certowicz, Jörg Colberg, Anastasia Davis, Zbigniew Dłubak, Przemek Dzienis, Amy Friend, Mariusz Hermanowicz, Magda Hueckel, Nicolai Howalt, Paweł Kula, Annick Ligtermoet, Mårten Lange, Michel Mazzoni, Peter Miller, Antoni Mikołajczyk, Minori Ozaki, Birthe Piontek, Simon Norfolk, Agnieszka Rayss, Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, Szymon Rogiński, Jim Stevenson, Carl Størmer, Joanna Stoga, Tadeusz Sumiński, Wojciech Wilczyk, Sanne de Wilde, Stefan Wojnecki, Wojciech Zamecznik
Concept and graphic design: Marta Przybyło-Ibadullajev
Essay: Jörg Colberg
Scientific commentaries: Jan Anderman
Introduction: Marta Przybyło-Ibadullajev
Author’s commentaries: Karolina Breguła, Jakub Certowicz, Magda Hueckel, Agnieszka Rayss, Szymon Rogiński, Wojciech Wilczyk.
Substantive consultation: Karolina Puchała-Rojek, Marta Szymańska
Proofreading and editing: Julia Odnous
Translation: Translateria.pl, Kinga Stańczuk
Collaboration, research: Patrycja Wojtas, Karolina Brzezińska, Ewa Jadacka, Ania Hornik, Magda Aleksandrowicz
Scans of objects from the APF collection and retouch: Dorota Pracka, Maciej Turczyniak
Preparation of photographs for print: Jakub Certowicz (Skanery Niewiarygodne)
200 pages, 80 photographs, insert with quotes
Language version: Polish and English
Price: 40 PLN.
The book follows an exhibition under the same title featuring works by:
Karolina Breguła, Magda Hueckel, Przemek Dzienis, and Szymon Rogiński.
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
LUX – book launch
February 9 (Thursday), 6pm
Archeology of Photography Foundation, Andersa 13
