The Photogram at the Intersection of Art and Technology: Evolution and Transformation in the History of Photography

• Published in: Художественная культура no. 3; pp. 474 - 507
• Main Authors: Fedotova, L.A., Lavrentieva, E.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: State Institute for Art Studies 01.09.2025
• Subjects: alternative photo processes; cameraless photography; conceptual photo projects; history of photogram; schadograpy; selestography; videography
• ISSN: 2226-0072; 2226-0072
• DOI: 10.51678/2226-0072-2025-3-474-507

The photogram is the first and simplest photographic technique based on obtaining an image by contact, without a camera. Today, two centuries later, it remains a relevant tool for artistic expression due to its specific properties that distinguish it from a photograph taken through a camera and allow authors to go beyond the traditional pictorial language. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing interest in experimental and interdisciplinary practices in art, which include the photogram. This article fills the gaps in the study of the photogram that exist in the emerging theory of photography. The purpose of the article is to trace the evolution of this artistic tool and highlight current strategies for using the photogram based on the systematization of artists’ practices, including works of the last five years. To achieve this goal, the article highlights the main stages of the photogram development and key figures, who systematically and comprehensively used cameraless photography in their practice. The authors’ approaches are examined through the prism of the theories that interested them, their understanding of the specific properties of cameraless photography, and their connection with previous experiments. The study has established that the photogram, having given rise to photography as a whole, did not remain a technical rudiment, but continued to develop through changes in the artists’ approaches. Moreover, increased interest in the photogram coincided with turning points for art: abrupt social changes, scientific discoveries, or technical breakthroughs that influenced the worldview as a whole or the idea of photography. The results of the study reveal the versatility of the photogram as an artistic tool (medium) and its distinctive features in comparison with traditional photography through a camera. These characteristic differences help to rethink the boundaries of art in a dialogue with other methods within artistic practices, as well as in interdisciplinary projects.