Echt Foto! Photography between Paper and Pixel

The exhibition Echt Foto! Photography between Paper and Pixel at the Museum für Fotografie explores these connections, making them visible and accessible. Historical works spanning the 19th to the 21st century from the Kunstbibliothek (Art Library) and other collections of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin are presented alongside contemporary artistic positions.

The exhibition explores the many forms photography can take, from analogue objects to digital images. At the same time, it raises questions about authenticity, originality and permanence that have become increasingly relevant with the emergence of AI-generated imagery.

Photography Between Analogue Tradition and Digital Innovation

Whether preserved on glass or paper, displayed in an album, viewed on a screen or encountered in public spaces, the way a photograph is presented significantly influences how it is perceived and interpreted. Beyond the subject itself, materials, photographic supports and context all contribute to its impact.

The exhibition examines these relationships through a wide selection of historical and contemporary works. Its scope extends from the earliest attempts to permanently capture the fleeting images of the camera obscura to photographic imagery generated entirely by artificial intelligence.

For this presentation, the curators have revisited the Kunstbibliothek's photography collection, selecting a number of rarely exhibited objects that are usually kept from public display for conservation reasons.

Processes and Materials – The Craftsmanship Behind Photography

A central section of the exhibition explores the materials and techniques that have shaped the development of photography. From early copper plates to photographs printed on silk, the exhibits illustrate the evolution of photography as both a craft and an artistic medium, revealing its remarkable aesthetic diversity.

Particular attention is also given to historical analogue techniques that have largely faded from everyday use but are now being rediscovered and reinterpreted by contemporary artists.

Through its photography collection, the Kunstbibliothek preserves not only historical images but also the knowledge of their production and physical characteristics. At the Museum für Fotografie, these objects provide an opportunity to explore the material history of photography and gain a deeper understanding of its development.

Materiality and Experimentation – Photography as a Physical Object

Creases, tears, discolouration and other signs of ageing reveal that photographs are not merely images but also fragile, physical objects subject to the passage of time.

Many contemporary artists deliberately explore these characteristics as part of their creative practice. By experimenting with photographic paper, chemical processes, overlapping images and layered materials, they produce works in which the physical properties of photography and the processes behind image-making become central artistic elements.

In doing so, the exhibition offers fresh perspectives on photography as an independent artistic object with its own material presence.

Context, Meaning and Authenticity – What Makes an Image Credible?

Photographs are part of everyday life in many different forms: as personal keepsakes in albums, illustrations in books and magazines, archival documents, social media posts or images displayed on posters.

The exhibition demonstrates how strongly their meaning depends on the context in which they appear. A photograph incorporated into a piece of jewellery may become a symbol of affection, while a travel album preserves memories of past experiences. Fan postcards, meanwhile, reflect personal identification and celebrity culture.

Against the backdrop of recent developments in AI-generated imagery, the exhibition examines the significance of photographic originals in assessing the origins, authenticity and credibility of images.

Drawing on the Kunstbibliothek's extensive holdings of analogue photography, the exhibition offers a critical perspective on today's digital visual culture. Engaging with historical photographic objects is therefore more than an exercise in nostalgia: it provides valuable insights into how images are created, preserved and understood, while raising fundamental questions about their authenticity and truthfulness.

Historical Collections and Contemporary Artistic Perspectives

The exhibition brings together works from the Kunstbibliothek's photography collection with numerous contemporary artistic contributions.

Loans include works by Michael Ackerman, Maren Burghard, Sofia Crespo, Marta Djourina, Rodrigo Alcocer de Garay, Claus Goedicke, Atsushi Kakefuda, Katrin Kamrau, Emi Kusano, Bärbel Möllmann, Marie Rief, Eva Stenram, Sarah Straßmann and Maximilian Zeitler.

The presentation is further enriched by works from the collection by Hans Christian Adam, Daniel T. Braun, Marco Breuer, Amin El Dib, Dörte Eißfeldt, Claudia Fährenkemper, Valerius Geng, Dokyun Kim, Jürgen Klauke, Stefan Koppelkamm, Martin Mago, Ann Mandelbaum, Susanne M.-Tane, Eva-Maria Schön and Stefanie Seufert.

Accompanying Programme – Discovering Photographic Techniques

A varied programme of talks, guided tours and workshops for all age groups accompanies the exhibition.

Once a month, the curators present selected objects from the photography collection, opening historical albums, demonstrating photographic viewing devices and offering opportunities to examine the exhibits at close range.

A series of workshops organised in collaboration with analogNOW also introduces participants to different photographic techniques and working methods.

Curatorial Team and Publication

The special exhibition of the Kunstbibliothek – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin is curated by Katja Böhlau, Ludger Derenthal and Ute Famulla.

An accompanying publication will be released by Deutscher Kunstverlag, featuring contributions by Katja Böhlau, Ludger Derenthal, Ute Famulla, Anika Meier, Moritz Wullen and Miriam Zlobinski.