Skip navigation

Main menu

  • What's On
  • Visit
  • Art
    • Discover Art
    • Artists
    • Artworks
    • Stories
    Stories
    Stories

    Watch, listen and read

  • Learn
    • Schools
    • Tate Kids
    • Research
    • Activities and workshops
    Tate Kids
    Tate Kids

    Games, quizzes and films for kids

  • Shop
Become a Member
  • Tate Britain
    Tate Britain Free admission
  • Tate Modern
    Tate Modern Free admission
  • Tate Liverpool + RIBA North
    Tate Liverpool + RIBA North Free admission
  • Tate St Ives
    Tate St Ives Ticket or membership card required
  • Families
  • Accessibility
  • Schools
  • Private tours
  • Discover Art
  • Artists
  • Artworks
  • Stories
  • Schools
  • Tate Kids
  • Research
  • Activities and workshops
Tate Logo
Become a Member
Tate Modern Exhibition

Shape of Light 100 Years of Photography and Abstract Art

2 May – 14 October 2018
​Antony Cairns LDN5_051 2017 © Courtesy of the artist Antony Cairns

​Antony Cairns, LDN5_051 2017 © Courtesy of the artist Antony Cairns

  • We recommend
  • Find out more
  • Shop

For the first time, Tate Modern tells the intertwined stories of photography and abstract art

Shape of Light is the first major exhibition to explore the relationship between the two, spanning the century from the 1910s to the present day. It brings to life the innovation and originality of photographers over this period, and shows how they responded and contributed to the development of abstraction.

Key photographs are brought together from pioneers including Man Ray and Alfred Stieglitz, major contemporary artists such as Barbara Kasten and Thomas Ruff, right up to exciting new work by Antony Cairns, Maya Rochat and Daisuke Yokota, made especially for the exhibition.

László Moholy-Nagy
K VII (1922)
Tate

Barbara Kasten Photogenic Painting, Untitled 74/13 1974 Courtesy the artist and Thomas Dane Gallery, London © Barbara Kasten

Barbara Kasten, Photogenic Painting, Untitled, 74/13 1974 Courtesy the artist and Thomas Dane Gallery, London © Barbara Kasten

Wyndham Lewis Workshop c.1914-5 Tate Purchased 1974 © Wyndham Lewis and the estate of Mrs G A Wyndham Lewis by kind permission of the Wyndham Lewis Memorial Trust (a registered charity)

Wyndham Lewis, Workshop, c.1914-5 Tate Purchased 1974 © Wyndham Lewis and the estate of Mrs G A Wyndham Lewis by kind permission of the Wyndham Lewis Memorial Trust (a registered charity)

Tate Modern

Bankside
London SE1 9TG
Plan your visit

Dates

2 May – 14 October 2018

Stay in the know

Be among the first to hear about all the latest Tate exhibitions, events, courses, and news

Sign up to Tate emails

We recommend

Still form video of artist looking through a camera
watch

London by Night

Join photographic artist Antony Cairns as he explores the city at night

John Hilliard
watch

John Hilliard: 'Everything comes down to time and light'

The conceptual artist's work explores the technical and sculptural nature of photography

watch

William Klein: In Pictures

An exclusive interview with photographer William Klein and first-ever glimpse behind the scenes his Paris studio

Create an experimental photograph

Find out more on Tate Kids
André Kertész Underwater Swimmer 1917 The Sir Elton John Photographic Collection © Estate of André Kertész/ Higher Pictures

A-Z of Modernist Photography

Discover 26 things you need to know about this period of photography

Thomas Ruff painting
read

Surface tension

Viviane Rehberg

Take a look below the surface of Thomas Ruff's photographs

read

Biology and the Bauhaus

Discover how art and science collided in the avant-garde community of London's Hampstead

read

The Gesamtwerker

Stuart Bailey assesses László Moholy-Nagy's importance as a graphic designer

Find out more

​Antony Cairns, LDN5_051 2017 © Courtesy of the artist Antony Cairns
read

Exhibition Guide: Shape of Light

Find out more about our exhibition at Tate Modern

Artist

László Moholy-Nagy

1895–1946

Artist

Man Ray

1890–1976

Artist

Barbara Kasten

born 1936

Artist

Thomas Ruff

born 1958

Artist

Georges Braque

1882–1963

Artist

Jackson Pollock

1912–1956

Artist

Carl Andre

born 1935

Artist

Bridget Riley

born 1931

Shop

Artwork
Close

Join in

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
Sign up to emails

Sign up to emails

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Tate’s privacy policy

About

  • About us
  • Our collection
  • Terms and copyright
  • Governance
  • Picture library
  • ARTIST ROOMS
  • Tate Kids

Support

  • Tate Collective
  • Members
  • Patrons
  • Donate
  • Corporate
  • My account
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Contact
© The Board of Trustees of the Tate Gallery, 2026
All rights reserved