Photo London
Thandiwe Muriu, Camo 33, courtesy 193 Gallery
Written by Megan May Walsh
Edited by Jana Massoud
Photo London, a photographic event with the leading international photography Fair, brings together over 75 galleries and exhibitors from 15 countries in its seventh edition. Celebrating the most magical and intriguing photographic works from both the present and future of photography, Photo London represents leading international galleries and solo exhibitions from established and emerging artists. Many of London’s commercial galleries such as White Cube have dedicated their exhibition spaces to contemporary photography. The breadth of photographic works across London for London Gallery Weekend, kickstarting with Photo London, reveals the power of photography in allowing artists to express themselves and inspiring both artists and viewers to meditate on the world and society evolving around us. This year, fashion photography is the focus of the fair with two major solo exhibitions by highly regarded fashion photographers Nick Knight and Frank Horvat.
Building this year’s fair relied heavily on the inspiring effects of photography during the pandemic. Photography serves as a medium to grasp the changing world around us and share in the collective experience of humanity, offering a visual solace that we are not alone, and the world is smaller than we once imagined. Photo London reinforces this by bringing back several international galleries from the US, Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
Some of the most notable corners of the fair include the Discovery section and PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai Presents. The Discovery section includes a presentation by Photography Crossing Boundaries as well as many presentations by first time exhibitors. This year, Tim Clark, writer, curator, lecturer and Editor-in-Chief at photography magazine 1000 Words, is the Curatorial Advisor for Discovery. The Rainbow Camera by artists Walter and Zoniel is one of the highlights of Discover this year. The interactive installation greets viewers by inviting them to photograph themselves pressed against a wall of rainbow-colored flatbed scanners. PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai Presents, in honor of the fair’s new partnership with the World Photography Organization, features leading galleries and artists from China.
Saidou Dicko, Sur le trône act1 tms2 2021, Series: The Blue Moon Of Ouagadougou Painting photography on Archival Pigment, Print on Hahnemühle, Fine Art Baryta 325gr, courtesy AFIKARIS and the artist
First time exhibitors at Photo London this year include Jean Kenta Gauthier (Paris), presenting work by Mishka Henner, Raphaël Dallaporta and Daniel Blaufuks. GBS Fine Art (Somerset) with Emily Allchurch and her wonderful digital collages will also be featured for the first time, as well as Galerie Podgorny Robinson (Saint Paul de Vence), the Gallery of Everything (London), Oliver Waltman Gallery (Paris), Rene Guneruiussen, Alex Plademunt, Tali Amitai-Taibb, Cedric Arnold, and Nil Gallery. Solo presentations at Photo London this year include Flowers Gallery (London), Robert Morat Galerie (Berlin), Parafin (London), Christophe Guye Galerie (Zurich), Echo Fine Arts (France), and Import Export (Poland). Artists from these solo presentations will include Edward Burtynsky, Hannah Hughes, Melanie Manchot, Marianne Maric, Tim Flach, and Mia Dudek. Finally long time supporting galleries of Photo London returning include Peter Fetterman Gallery (Los Angeles), Goodman Gallery (Cape Town, Johannesburg and London), Reflex (Amsterdam), Persons Project (Berlin), Galerie-Peter-Sillem (Frankfurt), Galerie Thomas Zander (Cologne), Galerie Bene Taschen (Cologne), Galerie Sophie Scheidecker (Paris), EUQINOM Gallery (San Francisco) and ALAMANQUE fotográfica (Mexico City).
Marc Posso, Les jeunes promis, 2021 Series Studio, Marc Posso, Fine Art Baryta, courtesy AFIKARIS and the artist
Where the power of photography brings humanity together by capturing glimpses of the universal human experience, Photo London brings the international community together in a physical space. Celebrating the permeating power of photography to stretch across cultures, countries, and time, Photo London creates a space to witness this magical phenomenon in person. In one place, viewers can encounter the international richness of photography to reveal parts of humanity, cast light on underrepresented voices, and interpret and critique politics.
©Richard Ansett, Grayson Perry, Birling Gap, 2017. Land of Hope and Glory. Courtesy Lucy Bell Gallery.
Photo London will be on view to the public at Somerset House from May 12th to May 15th, 2022. For more information on the Fair, please visit Photo London’s website.
