About the frame

Light & shadow

We see the world in monochrome — minimal, honest, timeless.

Since 2012

Our timeline

From a small darkroom in Berlin to an international collective — we capture the poetry of black and white.

2012

Founded by Elena Voss and Marcus Grey in a Kreuzberg loft. First exhibition “Kontrast” sold out.

2015

Published monograph “Shades of Concrete” — 120 pages of urban minimalism.

2018

Opened studio in Tokyo. Began mentorship program for emerging monochrome artists.

2022

Launched Monochrome Frame platform, reaching over 2M monthly viewers.

2025

Global touring exhibition “Monochrome Now” — 12 cities, 50 artists.

Collective

The frame keepers

Elena Voss

Elena Voss

Founder & lead photographer

“Light is a language; I speak in gradients.”

Marcus Grey

Marcus Grey

Creative director & printer

“Every print is a performance.”

Akira Tanaka

Akira Tanaka

Curator & editor

“Monochrome is not absence — it’s essence.”

Beliefs

Our philosophy

01

Minimalism is not emptiness — it’s clarity. We strip to the bone.

02

Texture over color. Grain, contrast, and the poetry of shadow.

03

Authenticity. No artificial light, no excessive retouching.

04

Community. We mentor, exhibit, and publish emerging monochrome voices.

Portfolio

Selected works