Join us at Kunsthall Trondheim for the opening of our new exhibition Hidden Mothers, from 6-8pm.
How do emerging technologies change how we make images, who gets represented in them, and how we see ourselves as a society? Long before digital cameras, smartphones, and AI image generators transformed visual culture, early photography presented revealing challenges about social visibility and erasure.
The exhibition Hidden Mothers examines a fascinating practice from the nineteenth century. Early cameras required subjects to remain completely motionless—sometimes for several minutes—to capture a clear image. Young children needed someone to hold them steady throughout these lengthy exposures. Since these handlers were not the focus of the portrait, they often attempted to camouflage themselves by draping their bodies in dark cloth or positioning themselves behind furniture. The result was eerie, ghost-like figures that have become known as "hidden mothers"—spectral presences appearing alongside the perfectly posed children.
Read more about the exhibition here.
With special thanks to Akershus Museum & The Mathiesen Collection/Linderud Manor, Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum and Aust-Agder Museum & Archive.
Kunsthall Trondheim has a stair-free entrance from street level, is wheelchair accessible and has a lift. Public disability parking is available right outside our entrance. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by our host at the reception. At street level, there is an accessible restroom, and another restroom is located on our lower floor.
If you have any special requirements, please send us an email to office@kunsthalltrondheim.no or call us at (+47) 485 00 100, and we will be more than happy to help make your visit as easy and rewarding as possible.