For centuries, children have been a part of art. In paintings, photographs, film, television and literature, children have been immortalised. While painted portraits of children were the preserve the few, photographs of children have become common. Images of children are no longer a rarity, but a familiar part of everyday life, helping to shape our image of what a child should be - often without us realising it.

 

In this exhibition, images of children flourish and takes the visitor into the world of children. With  around 100 (one-hundred) photographs from the late 1800s to the present day, the audience is presented with sweet, beautiful, fresh, calm, sad, inspiring, challenging and maybe even uncomfortable images of children. Because while the depictions of children in art reflect the dominant views of children, they can also present alternative views of the world - and of what it means to be a child.

 

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the first images of children as children and not as small adults began to appear in art. The new depictions of children coincided with philosophers of the time, including Enlightenment philosopher Jean Jacques-Rousseau (1712 - 1778). According to Rousseau, children are born good and natural. As they grow up, they are corrupted by the ‘civilised’ society of adults with all its prejudices, errors and guilt. Rousseau therefore believes that the best child-rearing comes from freedom, care in education and not least from free play in nature.

 

In KIDS, the audience will spend some time with images of children that do not unambiguously follow the view of children we have today. Instead, they are presented with images of children that can make us question the sweet guilt of the child. What if the child is not behaving as we expect? What if the child doesn't become the adult we expect them to be?

 

Investigative, questioning and relevant texts aimed at both children and adults convey some of the many stories about children and childhood that the images contain. Through descriptions and questions, the presentation will not provide clear-cut answers, but invite dialogue and reflection.

Curator

Linnea Szilas, Kunstmuseum Brandts

 

Key theme

• Changing views on children in photography from the early 19th century till the present day

 

VR&VZ partners

Kunstmuseum Brandts, Odense, Denmark

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Organisation fee

On request

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Insurance value

Low

 

Transport costs

Low - one combined transport

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Security level

Museum standard

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Environmental conditions

Museum standard

 

Availability

From April 2025 onwards​​

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​Included

• Lending, curatorial and copyright fees

• List of works

• Exhibition texts (English / Danish / Dutch if applicable)

• Courier costs (Economy travel and accommodation expenses, per diem)

• Lenders costs (Economy Comfort travel and accommodation expenses, per diem);

• 15 (fifteen) photographic images from the exhibition, specifically for use in promotional articles, pamphlets, entrance tickets, advertising, website, social media and other similar promotional and educational material relating to the exhibition​
   

Optional

• Transportation

• Insurance coverage of the works

• Exhibition design

• Publication

• A relevant programme of lectures and guided tours

• Youth and adult education: dialogue-based teaching programmes for all school levels

 

Excluded

All local costs incurred for presenting the exhibition, including:​

• professional unpacking

• installation

• professional packing

• any construction needed

• promotion

• publicity

• previews

• storage on the premises (if necessary)

• entertainment and receptions

• translation to local language(s)

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