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Voyages

Anderson & Low

Online Show

September 30, 2026

Soft focus color photograph of a large 19th century wind-powered sailing vessel.
Soft focus color photograph of a group 19th century wind-powered sailing ships.
Soft focus color photograph of a 19th century wind-powered sailing vessel with colorful sails with insignias.
Soft focus color photograph of a 19th century wind-powered sailing vessel with a red flag.
Soft focus color photograph of a 19th century wind-powered sailing vessel in a clear box.
Soft focus color photograph of the stern of a 19th century sailing vessel.
Soft focus color photograph of the ornate stern of a 19th century sailing vessel.
Soft focus color photograph of a large 19th century sailing vessel.
Soft focus color photograph of a small 19th century sailing vessel.
Soft focus color photograph of a small 19th century sailing vessel.
Soft focus color photograph of the ornate stern of a 19th century sailing vessel.
Soft focus color photograph of an ornate 19th century sailing vessel.

Press Release

VOYAGES
18th and 19th-century sea vessels seem to emerge from the fog of time in these mysterious and painterly photographs. The pictures were created by the British collaborative duo Anderson & Low (Jonathan Anderson and Edwin Low) as part of their Voyages series. These model ships belong to the London Science Museum's expansive collection of maritime models, which was displayed at the museum from 1963 to 2012. When Anderson & Low captured these images in 2016, the entire collection had been moved into storage to make way for new exhibitions.

While the soft-focus, richly atmospheric appearance of the ships suggest sunlight shining through sea mist or coastal fog, the effect is actually the result of shooting through a layer of translucent plastic sheeting draped over the model's display case. To the surprise of the museum's staff, Anderson & Low opted to leave the displays shrouded in this protective wrapping as they documented the collection. The resulting images seem to look back through the mist of decades and are rich with associations, evoking everything from J.M.W. Turner's masterful maritime paintings to the drama of Hollywood cinematography.

BIOGRAPHY
Jonathan Anderson and Edwin Low have been collaborating as “Anderson & Low” since 1990. Their work includes portraiture, architectural studies, abstract images, reportage, nudes, and landscape and is noted for attention to concept, form, lighting, and printing. Their work has been exhibited world-wide, and is included in many public and private collections including: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Victoria & Albert Museum, London; National Portrait Galleries of both the UK and Australia; Museum of Fine Art, Houston; High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Baltimore Art Museum; National Gallery of Australia; Akron Museum; The National Gallery of Australia; the US Olympic Center; the Southeast Photography Museum, Florida; and Museet Fotokunst, Denmark.