Ray Van Nes: The Modernist View

The Modernist View presents a body of silver gelatin and platinum palladium photographs shaped by the principles of Modernism and the tradition of “straight photography.” Drawing from influences that emerged in the early 20th century and continued to resonate through the late 1970s, the exhibition explores photography as a medium capable of abstraction, formal clarity, and visual experimentation beyond literal representation.

Rooted in the modernist rejection of traditional expression, the work reflects ideas associated with movements such as Cubism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism translated through the inherently realistic lens of photography. Rather than focusing on grand narratives or picturesque scenes, the images emphasise form, pattern, texture, and light. Landscapes and elements of the built environment are treated with equal weight, revealing unexpected visual relationships and abstract qualities.

Working exclusively in black and white, the photographs strip away colour to heighten contrast and structure, allowing familiar subjects to take on new meaning. Whether drawn from natural terrain or industrial forms, each image invites viewers to look more closely, discovering an elegant, modern reality shaped by observation, restraint, and a distinctly modernist point of view.