Deep Flows

MODEM, the Centre for Modern and Contemporary Arts

Debrecen | Hungary

Dec 14, 2019 - Mar 15, 2020

What do classical art genres mean to contemporary photographers nowadays? How far were the well-known earlier pictures present during the creative processes? How visible are the centuries-old artistic and a century and a half of photographic traditions and oeuvres in the artistic attitudes and reflections? These questions were the starting points of the exhibition series, which aims at examining the contemporary photographic presence. Perhaps, the most exciting undertaking is the exploration and presentation of parallels, relationships, and deep flows in the Hungarian photography: as contemporary artists follow the traditions reflecting on classical genres 鈥� whether continuation or exceedance 鈥� the living and hidden deep flows are observable. If we ignore this, it might seem strange to examine the Hungarian contemporary photographers and their works from the aspect of the classical genres of art history and the works of their predecessors. But it is not the case. In the frame of the Budapest Photo Festival, we have been trying to explore this field and show these deep flows to the public for three years. Now, at the exhibition in the MODEM 鈥� completely reconsidering and selecting the photographs 鈥� deep flows can be examined through the works of classical and contemporary Hungarian photographers in a focused and complex way. No matter how typical the interdisciplinary thinking and attitude to the contemporary artistic tendencies including the contemporary photographic movements, the resulting series and projects often take form in the frames of traditional genres, or use them as models, and reflect on the traditions of the history of photography.