L. Parker Stephenson Photographs is pleased to present an exhibition featuring selected images, from the 1850s to 2013, which blur the distinction between science and art photography.

Although it has not always been embraced by the scientific establishment, photography, itself an offspring of optics, chemistry, and physics, has played a pivotal role in the advancement and dissemination of scientific research and discovery. Its ability to faithfully document typologies and record what is too small, too fast, too bright or too remote to see with the unaided eye, has helped to form our understanding of the world and the skies above.

Objective and descriptive photographs of nature, space, or phenomena can be interesting to look at. A few, however, transcend their original intent and take on an aesthetic character that can be appreciated in purely artistic terms: an enlargement of a chemical compound appears to be Suprematist composition, an astronaut floating in space becomes Pop art, a motion study of an athlete resembles Futurist photography, a star cluster and nuclear fission represent Minimalist creations.

The works on view vary from cyanotype, salt print, albumen print, Woodburytype, heliogravure and photogravure, to gelatin silver print, digital C-print and dye transfer. Some are by recognizable names and others are unattributed. Regardless of period, subject, process, or author no scientific context is necessary to appreciate any of these compelling images.

For additional information or to request images, please contact the gallery at +1 212 517-8700 or by email at info@lparkerstephenson.com.

L. Parker Stephenson Photographs, located at 764 Madison Avenue between 65th and 66th streets, is open Wednesday -Saturday from 11am-6pm.