Even though one can find example of artistic and even conceptual photographs from the mid-19the century it was Alfred Stieglitz who by publishing the magazine Camera Work between 1903 and 1917, took the first real steps in transforming the camera into a medium of fine arts. His efforts were not in vain and years later, the camera become a favorite medium among artists, resulting in the exhibition of numerous photographs in galleries and meuseums- even though the concept of photographs and photography had changed significantly from what Stieglitz had in mind.
In the second half of the twentiesh century, conceptual thinking was taking shape through ideas like phenomenology, semiotics, post-structuralism, intertextuality, cultural studies, and critical theory. In turn, the artistic medium was becoming less and less important important and being replaced with artistic expression in the 1960s as new movements were trying to free themselves from the century-old dominion of painting, they turned to photography. With slogan painting is dead, and without considering themselves photographers these artist turned into the medium of photography. More than its importance as an independent medium, artists appreciated photography for the visual and technological opportunities it provided for artistic expression. In order to become tangible, the ideas resulting from the transformations of that area them with this opportunity.
The term "conceptual photography" may not serve as a good description for the work you will observe here but what differentiates these artists from others and what connects them to one another is the use of photography for the expression of a concept. Therefore it is not entirely out of place to use the title "Conceptual photography" for the purposes of this exhibition.
