Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam and Pioneer Works Center for Art and Innovation present Under Construction – New Positions in American Photography, a group exhibition featuring ten young American and Canadian photographers.

The opening reception is tonight, with remarks by Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, The New York Times Magazine, at 6:30 pm.

The far-reaching digitisation of society exerts an unparalleled influence on almost every aspect of the medium. This ranges from entirely new photographic techniques (digitisation of the equipment) and the use of the photographic image (distribution via digital networks) to the value and significance of photography itself (in view of the never-ending stream of many millions of photographic images that are being taken, distributed and manipulated every day). 

This fundamental reassessment is particularly appropriate and important in a society in which so much culturally relevant information is communicated via images and where an unprecedented and extremely complex dynamic has developed amongst images. In this new world, how can photography or a photograph be defined? What is the value and significance of photography? What is the role of the artist?

These kinds of questions are of utmost relevance for this new generation of image-makers who all represent very specific positions within a complex landscape. One of the most distinguishing features is that the image is constructed and built up from decontextualized elements and characterized by the use of abstract forms and colors..

Whether the photograph is created entirely from scratch or whether it is put together using archetypal images, art history references, archive material or pictures derived from the internet, the end result is fragmented and layered. The artists make use of analogue or digital workflows, or a combination of both, often using advanced post-production software. 

The featured artists are Joshua Citarella, Jessica Eaton, Daniel Gordon, Matthew Leifheit & Cynthia Talmadge, Matt Lipps, Matthew Porter, Sara Cwynar, Kate Steciw and Sara VanDerBeek.

Under Construction | New Positions in American Photography, opening reception, 6-9 pm.Pioneer Works | Center for Art and Innovation, 159 Pioneer Street, Brooklyn, NY. The evening includes music by Xander Ferreira and Justin Miller. Information. Directions. The exhibition was first shown at Foam Museum in Amsterdam from September to December 2014.
Foam Magazine #38 Issue, Under Construction, is available here.

Images top row, left to right, by Sara VanDer Beek, Matthew Porter, and Daniel Gordon; courtesy Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam.

Installation view, above, courtesy Pioneer Works.