mrrobleyleica
Member
This autumn, London seems to have more photo exhibitions than celebrity phone hackers.
Here's a quick list;
Klein and Moriyama at the Tate.
Seduced by Art and Thomas Struth are at the National Portrait Gallery.
Cartier Bresson: A Question of Colour at Somerset House.
Images from Everything Was Moving: Photography From The 60s And 70s at the Barbican.
The Photographers Gallery - Shoot! Existential Photography.
Hiroshi Sugimoto show at the Pace Gallery.
Then, even in non art galleries we have Cecil Beaton: Vogue and Wartime Fashion on at the Imperial War Museum. Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea is at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and The Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum.
Phew!
I've had a look at the Klein and Moriyama at the Tate and the Somerset House show, both are inspiring and well conceived.
What's really interesting though, is that after years of very few good photo shows we now have so many, arriving typically like London buses 9 at once and overcrowded. And this is just after a very nice show finished at Tate Britain, 'Another London 1830 - 1980'. There were some lovely old prints on show there, some well known and many new to me.
I've been a fan of William Klein since I was blown away by his work in the early 80s, so I've seen that show twice already, brilliant bold modern prints as well as many original bromides. The show at Somerset house was very interesting, great colour work from 14 well known protagonists, includes some memorable prints by Alex Webb alongside and in contrast to 10 monos by HCB.
Is this the galleries reacting to a surge of interest in photography? I think maybe the somewhat over used term 'street photography' has also caught the eye of the London art curators club. Or am I unaware that it is officially designated the year of the photograph?
Whatever reason is behind the current interest in photography, the exhibitions are there to be enjoyed, so I'm going to make the most of it. Some are free and they're mostly on until mid January. A welcome break from the hell of Xmas shoppers.
It's definitely a good time for London shooters and I'm sorry if you're not going to make it to 'the smoke'.
If anyone has seen any of these shows, what did you think?
Here's a quick list;
Klein and Moriyama at the Tate.
Seduced by Art and Thomas Struth are at the National Portrait Gallery.
Cartier Bresson: A Question of Colour at Somerset House.
Images from Everything Was Moving: Photography From The 60s And 70s at the Barbican.
The Photographers Gallery - Shoot! Existential Photography.
Hiroshi Sugimoto show at the Pace Gallery.
Then, even in non art galleries we have Cecil Beaton: Vogue and Wartime Fashion on at the Imperial War Museum. Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea is at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and The Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum.
Phew!
I've had a look at the Klein and Moriyama at the Tate and the Somerset House show, both are inspiring and well conceived.
What's really interesting though, is that after years of very few good photo shows we now have so many, arriving typically like London buses 9 at once and overcrowded. And this is just after a very nice show finished at Tate Britain, 'Another London 1830 - 1980'. There were some lovely old prints on show there, some well known and many new to me.
I've been a fan of William Klein since I was blown away by his work in the early 80s, so I've seen that show twice already, brilliant bold modern prints as well as many original bromides. The show at Somerset house was very interesting, great colour work from 14 well known protagonists, includes some memorable prints by Alex Webb alongside and in contrast to 10 monos by HCB.
Is this the galleries reacting to a surge of interest in photography? I think maybe the somewhat over used term 'street photography' has also caught the eye of the London art curators club. Or am I unaware that it is officially designated the year of the photograph?
Whatever reason is behind the current interest in photography, the exhibitions are there to be enjoyed, so I'm going to make the most of it. Some are free and they're mostly on until mid January. A welcome break from the hell of Xmas shoppers.
It's definitely a good time for London shooters and I'm sorry if you're not going to make it to 'the smoke'.
If anyone has seen any of these shows, what did you think?
Jealous...
ian_watts
Ian Watts
There's also Tim Walker, the fashion photographer, at Somerset House until January. I haven't seen it yet but will go before long (possibly tomorrow) to see that and the HCB. Might do the Tate and Ansel Adams on another day.
mrrobleyleica
Member
I went to the Tate and Somerset house show with crime writer friend who has written up his thoughts far better than I ever could.
http://mellotone70up.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/photography-klein-cartier-bresson-and-the-rest/
http://mellotone70up.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/photography-klein-cartier-bresson-and-the-rest/