This exhibition is an ode to the cyanotype, an age-old technique that creates deep blue hues. At a time when AI images can be created in an instant, the cyanotype is making a comeback. Sunlight, water, shadow and time contribute to the image. This simplicity results in prints that are both durable and layered. This deep-blue visual language is an inspiration for many contemporary artists. It helps create beautiful images and places reality in a new and surprising perspective.
A simple chemical photographic process
Cyanotype uses light and a relatively simple photographic process. No camera or lens is needed. This analogue process was invented in 1842 in England by Sir John Herschel. Botanist and photographer Anna Atkins made it appealing and accessible to a wide audience. Originally used for scientific documentation, this process has many artistic applications. Cyanotype is loved for its simplicity and accessibility. It uses far fewer harmful substances than other photographic processes, making it a sustainable alternative.
Ecology, the colonial past and present
By combining this 19th century technique with new media and diverse materials, 15 contemporary artists have breathed new life into cyanotypes. Their work explores three intertwined themes: ecology, colonialism, and the body as archive.
Artists such as Pai Dekkers, Suzette Bousema, Glithero, and Anne Geene work closely with nature, using cyanotypes to capture what often remains invisible: tidal rhythms, traces of plants, and the fragility of ecosystems. Using cyanotype as a powerful medium, creators like Farah Rahman and Sarojini Lewis examine and reinterpret colonial histories. Where the technique was once used for documentation and control, it is now employed for restoration, resistance, and reshaping stories. Artists such as Shehera Grot, Rabin Huissen, and Marijn Kuijper explore cyanotype as an intimate gesture of touch and presence, with the body serving as a carrier of both personal and collective memories.
Participating artists
Anne Geene, Arash Fakhim, Farah Rahman, Glithero, Marijn Kuijper, Maryam Touzani, Muhcine Ennou, Pai Dekkers, Rabin Huissen, Ričards Briška, Sarojini Lewis, Shehera Grot, Suzette Bousema, Vincent Zanni en Yasmijn Karhof.