Mining Photography. The ecological footprint of image production

How sustainable is photography? Since its invention, it has depended on the extraction and exploitation of natural raw materials. In the 19th century, it was salt, copper and silver that were used for the first photographs on copper plates and for salt paper prints. After the advent of silver gelatin prints, the photographic industry became the most important consumer of silver in the late 20th century, accounting for over half of global consumption.

In the age of digital photography and smartphones, image production relies on metals such as cobalt and coltan, as well as those of the rare earths. Storing the images and distributing them also produces large amounts of CO2.

"Mining Photography" is dedicated to the material history of raw materials that are central to photography and establishes the connection to the history of their extraction, disposal and climate change.

On the basis of around 170 works - contemporary artistic positions, historical photographs, material samples and interviews with experts - the exhibition "Mining Photography" tells a story in five chapters:

• Copper, gold and the daguerreotype
• Fossil fuels such as coal and bitumen for the printing processes
• Silver for the widespread silver gelatine prints in the 20th century
• Fossil fuels such as coal and bitumen for the printing processes
• Silver for the widespread silver gelatine prints in the 20th century. Century
• The substrate paper and its coating
• The weight of the cloud - rare earth metals, metals, energy and waste for ever smaller cameras and smartphones

An exhibition of the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, in cooperation with Kunst Haus Wien and Gewerbemuseum Winterthur.