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The fourth edition of Photo London closed on Sunday 20 May 2018, having seen strong visitor numbers, significant sales and major acquisitions by international institutions as well as important sales to private collectors. A record number of exhibitors included 108 galleries from 18 countries.
The 2018 Fair saw an increase in institutional attendance, with more than 85 groups including acquisition groups from the world’s major museums, visiting from territories that included North America, Europe, Scandinavia, South America, Russia and Canada. Visitors included groups and representatives from Tate; Getty; ICP New York; Guggenheim; Fotomuseum, Winterthur; Yale Centre for British Art; National Gallery, Canada; Qatar Museums; Multimedia Art Musuem, Moscow; Musee d’Orsay; Fotografiska; FOMU; Rijksmuseum; FotoFest, Houston; and FOAM.
Many of the participating galleries reported sales to new clients and a number of significant new contacts. Sales of nineteenth century photography and from the Discovery section were especially strong this year. Vintage dealer Roland Belgrave commented ‘this kind of business is precisely what makes a successful fair. High end buyers and people that are not the usual clients of vintage photography, a small arena at the best of times.’ In the Discovery section new additions to the fair Joanna Bryant & Julian Page (London) and Spazio Nuovo (Rome) were amongst those reporting strong sales to a diverse range of collectors from both Europe and the US.
For the first time this year Photo London created a new space for the Fair on the River Terrace at Somerset House. This new zone included galleries, a Collectors Lounge supported by Leica, a special exhibition space and a new talks auditorium.
For the first time this year the Arts Council of England joined long term partners the Luma Foundation in support of the Photo London Public Programme. Highlights included a special exhibition from Master of Photography Edward Burtynsky, who presented his first Augmented Reality (AR) experience. The AR Installation, AR #1, Scrap Engine and Rims, Agbogbloshie Recycling Yards, Accra, Ghana 2017, invited visitors to explore the recycling of automotive machine parts from a scrap yard in Accra, Ghana. Commenting on his award and the accompanying exhibition Edward Burtynsky said, ‘It was an honour to receive the 2018 Master of Photography Award from Photo London. The management and staff worked tirelessly to make my exhibition as good as it could be insuring the experience would be rewarding for the audience. It was a busy four days as thousands came to see the show.’
Sun Pictures Then and Now: Talbot and His Legacy Today, an exhibition curated by Hans P. Kraus Jr., which featured original works by Talbot alongside those by contemporary artists including Hiroshi Sugimoto, Vera Lutter, Adam Fuss, and Albelardo Morel, was widely regarded as the highlight of the Public Programme. The Bodley’s librarian Richard Ovenden (whose organisation will unveil the digital Talbot Catalogue Raisoné later this year) said of the exhibition, ‘William Henry Fox Talbot was not only one of the great innovators of the 19th century, developing the science and the art of photography simultaneously, but the strength of his ideas and vision still have profound resonance today. The exhibit at Photo London 2018 brilliantly portrayed the continuing impact of Talbot on the practice of some of the most significant contemporary photographers. What we saw through this show is that despite the ubiquity of the digital image, the spirit of experimentation, and the profundity of the essential elements of the science of photography is still being harnessed in the 21st century to extraordinarily powerful effect.’
Other Public Programme highlights included Darren Almond’s epic Fullmoons series presented by White Cube, and Exit from Paradise an exhibition of Korean and Japanese photography by Photo London and SUUM, South Korea.
2018 also saw the return of the Pavilion Commissions with an installation dedicated to the pioneering French photojournalist Gilles Caron, as well as a survey of contemporary Austrian photography and work by Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama presented by Hamiltons.
Es Devlin previewed her Somerset House Commission MASK, a new projection-mapped sculptural work made specifically for Somerset House and Photo London. This work will be on show at Somerset House until Monday 27 August. The installation features an ovoid, mask-shaped concave form sculpturally imprinted with dense urban geometry with a river dividing the map like a mirror-distorted image of a human brain.
Quotes
Michael Benson and Fariba Farshad, Founding Directors of Photo London, said: “Our fourth edition has seen Photo London firmly established as part of the cultural fabric of London and as a key date in the international artworld calendar – presenting the best in the past, present and future of photography to a growing audience. We were delighted by the overall quality of the Fair and were pleased to see that was reflected by many important sales. It was particularly gratifying to see such strong sales in both the Discovery section and in the area of historic photography. We were delighted to present such a strong line-up of both new and returning galleries for the fourth edition, as well as an outstanding Public Programme with leading artists such as Edward Burtynsky, Darren Almond, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Rinko Kawauchi, Vera Lutter and Adam Fuss. It was also very encouraging that our Talks Programme, as ably curated by Bill Ewing, attracted an audience of 2000 people. Our Talks Programme featured conversations between some of the finest photographers of our times including Joel Meyerowitz, Thomas Struth and Terry O’Neill and their popularity illustrates the huge enthusiasm of the London audience to learn from the masters of modern photography... We are looking forward to the fifth edition of Photo London and continuing the Fair’s upward trajectory.”
Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: “Over 100 cultural organisations, from grand museums to tiny pop up galleries, were inspired to make their own contribution to Photo London, and thousands of visitors from all over the world, including Mexico, Lebanon, the US and Iran, came to admire the various collections. Photo London is a great shop window for London, for the country and for the talent that we nurture and attract. London has always been one of the world’s great cultural capitals, a world-renowned centre of the arts, and so it’s wonderful to see initiatives like Photo London boosting that reputation further. In just four years, Photo London has really made its mark on the art world’s cultural calendar, as well as London itself.”
Philippe Garner, Chair of the Photo London Curatorial Committee, said: “We believe that Photo London has succeeded in presenting an exciting international overview of the ways in which the medium of photography has been explored in recent years, well punctuated with classic reference points from both the distant and more recent past.”
Tristan Lund, Curator of the Discovery section said: “The Discovery section received outstanding feedback from day one of the fair, specifically for its high number of solo presentations of emerging artists. Elegant, thoughtful curation was appreciated by collectors, curators and fellow dealers, notably at Budapest’s Art+Text with their presentation of avante-garde Hungarian photography from 1965-84. New additions to the fair Joanna Bryant and Julian Page (London) and Spazio Nuovo (Rome) were amongst those who reporting strong sales to a diverse range of collectors from both Europe and the US.”
The Geneva-based Pictet Group, one of Europe’s leading asset and wealth management organisations, were again sponsors of Photo London. Stephen Barber, Equity Partner of Pictet, said: “We are delighted to be a lead sponsor of the Photo London Fair for the third successive year. Since its launch in 2015, we have seen Photo London blossom into a fixture on the London cultural scene. Its reach and its reputation are equal with the best in global photography gatherings.”
Jonathan Reekie, Director of Somerset House Trust, said: “Somerset House is proud to be the home of Photo London and it is now firmly established as an annual highlight of the Somerset House calendar. We look forward to welcoming the Fair back in the years to come.”
Gallery Responses
Peter Fetterman, Peter Fetterman Gallery (Santa Monica):
“Photo London was very productive for us. Within 5 minutes of opening we sold David Montgomery’s tender photographs of Her Royal Highness The Queen and Richard Corman’s powerful and haunting portraits of Jean Michel Basquiat. The organisers did a great job of organising such a special event for lovers of photography.”
James Hyman, James Hyman Gallery (London):
“We were delighted to be back again at Photo London and to be part of such a dynamic week. For lovers of photography it’s become a really special time to be in London. Once again, we presented works from the earliest days of photography, including a recently discovered William Henry Fox Talbot and an important group of Edouard Baldus Salt Prints – through to colour works by British photographers Anna Fox and Paul Reas. At the heart of our display were major works by Harry Callahan, Bill Brandt and Andre Kertesz which received particular attention. Selling important vintage works remains a challenge in London, unlike Paris and New York, but we were pleased by the response.”
Robert Morat, Robert Morat Galerie (Berlin):
“We are happy to report very strong sales this year at Photo London. Roger Eberhard’s large format landscape piece titled ‘Hadrian’s Wall’ was sold out of its edition by lunch time on opening day and we continued to sell well throughout the week. Bill Jacobson’s still-life studies from his project ‘Place (Series)’ were another bestseller for us this week. We really are very happy with the results of the Fair this year.”
Sophie Wright, Global Cultural Director, Magnum Photos:
"The Fair offers us an opportunity to refresh people's perception of Magnum Photos and we're happy that Photo London's visitors this year have both engaged with and bought the classic names and the new generation of Magnum photographers."
Bryce Wolkowitz, Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery (New York):
“We had a very positive experience at this edition of Photo London and it continues to be a major attraction for the photo community here in Europe. Sales were strong and we met a great number of new collectors and curators.”
Michael Hoppen, Michael Hoppen Gallery (London):
"All our artists found clients interested in their works at the fair which was well attended. We were delighted to see the new Discovery section with very strong works."
Robert Hershowitz, Robert Hershkowitz Ltd (Lindfield – London)
“We had our best fair yet in terms of sales and have had many visitors appreciating the work we show.”
Roland Belgrave, Roland Belgrave Vintage Photography (Brighton)
“A thoroughly enjoyable fair with a huge diversity of visiting clients. I noticed an increase in US Institutional presence and have two works currently on hold. I was also happy to sell to new clients - this kind of business is precisely what makes a successful fair. High end buyers and people that are not the usual clients of vintage photography, a small arena at the best of times.”
Joanna Bryant & Julian Page (London)
“This is our first time at Photo London and the first time that we have shown Nikolai Ishchuk at a photography fair. Nikolai’s work has an evident overlap with painting and sculpture, but starts from photography, so it has been fascinating to show it to this specific collector base. The reaction has been tremendous and we have seen some strong and immediate sales.”
Awards
Mexican artist Tania Franco-Klein was announced as the winner of the Photo London Artproof Schliemann Award 2018 for her project Our Life in the Shadows (2016 – 2017). The project was selected by an expert panel of judges consisted of Emma Bowkett, Director of Photography at FT Weekend Magazine; Sofia de Maduro, Director and Curator of Alberto Vollmer Foundation; Joana Schliemann and was chaired by William M. Hunt. The Photo London Artproof Schliemann Award 2018 offers an emerging photographer an extensive international residency programme.
The La Fabrica | Photo London Book Dummy Award was given to Arunà Canevascini for Villa Argentina - a visual exploration of the relationship between the photographer and her mother, set in their family house in the South of Switzerland.
Photo London 2018
17 – 20 May 2018
Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA
www.photolondon.org #PhotoLondonFair18
Press Enquiries:
Matthew Brown, Sutton Catherine Philippot, Relations Media
T: +44 (0) 20 7183 3577 T: +33 (0) 1 40 47 63 42
E: matthew@suttonpr.com E: cathphilippot@relations-media.com
About Photo London
Photo London was created to give London an international photography event befitting the city’s status as a global cultural capital. Founded in 2015, it has already established itself as a world-class photography Fair and as a catalyst for London’s dynamic photography community. From the capital’s major museums to its auction houses, galleries large and small, right into the burgeoning creative community in the East End and South London, Photo London harnesses the city’s outstanding creative talent and brings the world’s leading photographers, curators, exhibitors and dealers together with the public to celebrate photography, the medium of our time.
About Somerset House
A unique part of the London cultural scene, Somerset House is an historic building where surprising and original work comes to life. From its 18th-century origins, Somerset House has been a centre for debate and discussion – an intellectual powerhouse for the nation. Somerset House is today a key cultural destination in London in which to experience a broad range of artistic activity, engage with artists, designers and makers and be a part of a major creative forum – an environment that is relaxed, welcoming, and inspirational to visit while providing a stimulating workplace for the cultural and creative industries.
Since its opening in 2000, Somerset House has built up a distinctive outdoor public programme including Skate, concerts, an open-air film season and a diverse range of temporary exhibitions throughout the site focusing on contemporary culture, with an extensive learning programme attached. In October 2016, Somerset House launched Somerset House Studios, a new experimental workspace in the centre of London connecting artists, makers and thinkers with audiences. The Studios provide a platform for new creative projects and collaboration, promoting work that pushes bold ideas, engages with urgent issues and pioneers new technologies. Somerset House is also one of the biggest community of creative organisations in London including The Courtauld Gallery and Institute of Art, King’s College London Cultural Institute and over 100 other creative businesses. It currently attracts approximately 3.4 million visitors every year.
About Edward Burtynsky
Edward Burtynsky's imagery explores the collective impact we as a species are having on the surface of the planet; an inspection of the human systems we’ve imposed onto natural landscapes. Burtynsky’s distinctions include the TED Prize, The Outreach award at the Rencontres d’Arles, the Roloff Beny Book award, and the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award. In 2006 he was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of Canada; in 2016 he received the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts. Burtynsky currently holds seven honorary doctorate degrees. His remarkable photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes are included in the collections of over sixty major museums around the world.
About Es Devlin
Artist and designer Es Devlin lives and works in South East London. Her immersive, sculptural and film installations are often created as environments for performing artists, opera, dance and theatre. Her installation and solo gallery works include Mirrormaze at Copeland Park, Peckham 2016; The Singing Tree at the V&A 2017; Room 2022 at Miami Art Basel 2017; PoemPortraits at the Serpentine Gallery 2017; Playbox at the Belgian Stadstriennale 2016; MagicBox at the V&A 2017; EGG at the XI Gallery in New York 2018. Her stage sculptures include collaborations with Beyonce, Kanye West, U2, The Weeknd, Adele, The Royal Opera House, The National Theatre and the London and Rio Olympic Ceremonies. She is the winner of numerous awards including three Olivier Awards, the 2017 London Design Medal, a UAL fellowship and an OBE.
SPONSOR & PARTNERS
Main Partners
Pictet
The Pictet Group is one of Europe’s leading asset and wealth management groups. Founded in Geneva in 1805, Pictet has a presence in 25 financial centres worldwide. Sustainability, both as an investment expertise and as a guiding principle of business management, lies at the heart of Pictet’s concerns. The Pictet Group is owned by seven managing partners and 34 equity partners. For further information, please go to www.pictet.com.
FT Weekend
FT Weekend is delighted to continue its partnership with Photo London. For the past three decades, FT Weekend has continuously evolved and now includes the award-winning titles; How To Spend It, FT Weekend magazine; a greatly expanded House and Home section, Life and Arts and FT Money. Readers can enjoy coverage wherever they are with our FT Weekend app. You can find it at app.ft.com/weekend.
Partial Funder of the Public Programme
The LUMA Foundation
Supporter of the Public Programme
The LUMA Foundation was established in 2004 by Maja Hoffmann to support the activities of independent artists and pioneers, as well as institutions working in the fields of art and photography, publishing, documentary, and multimedia. The foundation specialises in challenging artistic projects combining a particular interest in environmental issues, human rights, education, and culture in the broadest sense. The LUMA Foundation and LUMA Arles, the executive entity founded in 2014 in support of the project in Arles, are currently developing an experimental cultural centre in the Parc des Ateliers in the city of Arles, France, working with a core group of artistic advisors and the architects Frank Gehry and Annabelle Selldorf. This ambitious project envisions an interdisciplinary centre dedicated to the production of exhibitions and ideas, research, education, and archives and is supported by a growing number of public and private partnerships. The LUMA Foundation has also supported the International Photography Festival Les Rencontres d ’Arles since 2002, in particular the Discovery Award.
Official Partners
Leica Camera
Leica has been making exceptional products for more than 100 years. Hand-crafted using the highest quality materials, Leica's range includes cameras, lenses and sport optics products. Instantly recognisable by their iconic 'red dot' logo and classic styling, Leica cameras are meticulously designed and manufactured in Germany. Used by legendary photographers to capture some of the most iconic pictures in history, Leica is synonymous with outstanding photography and creativity. This year, Leica will be hosting its own lounge, the Leica Collector’s Lounge, which will be located in The Terrace Pavilion at Photo London. Guests are invited to join the brand to experience Bruce Gilden’s exhibition, attend book signings, and discover more about Leica’s product range and history as the most iconic photography brand.
Champagne Pommery
Champagne Pommery continues its 180-year arts patronage this year with a new partnership with Photo London. There will be plenty of opportunity to enjoy Pommery’s signature cuvée, Pommery Brut Royal, with a pop-up bar running all week within the buzzing courtyard of Somerset House. Brut Royal and other Pommery champagnes will be served alongside the delicious food from Hej Coffee. Pommery champagnes will also be available at the Somerset House Terrace overlooking the River Thames and in the elegant, Spring Restaurant where some of Pommery’s rarer cuvées will be paired with Skye Gyngell’s beautiful seasonal cooking.
MR PORTER
MR PORTER launched in February 2011. It has since established itself as the award-winning global retail destination for men’s style, with an unparalleled product offering from the world’s best menswear and luxury brands – including Saint Laurent, Prada, Gucci, Brunello Cucinelli, Ermenegildo Zegna, Moncler, Acne Studios, APC, Kingsman, Tom Ford, Common Projects, IWC Schaffhausen and Bremont. MR PORTER complements its best-in-class menswear with ever-growing, industry-advancing categories, such as fine watches, grooming, performance, sport, tech and lifestyle. Additionally, MR PORTER publishes unmatched content through its weekly shoppable digital magazine, The Journal, its bimonthly newspaper, The MR PORTER Post, and its bite-sized, several-times-a-day digital news source, The Daily, all powered by MRPORTER.COM. MR PORTER video content is also streamable and shoppable from its very own Apple TV app. MR PORTER champions unparalleled customer service with express worldwide shipping to more than 170 countries, including same-day delivery to New York and London and next-day delivery to the UK, US, Germany and France, a seamless shopping experience across mobile, tablet, desktop, email and telephone, signature white and black packaging, easy returns and a multi-lingual customer care and personal-shopping team who are available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Rosewood London
Rosewood London combines English heritage with contemporary sophistication in the heart of the capital. The Grade II-listed, Belle Époque building has been sensitively renovated with the feel of a stylish London residence. The five-star hotel’s generously appointed guest rooms and suites, are inspired by a British manor house, among which is the unique seven bedroom Grand Manor House wing, a private wing with its own entrance and postcode. With an array of culinary experiences including the Mirror Room, Scarfes Bar, Holborn Dining Room, The Gin Bar and The Terrace, Rosewood London offers some of the capital’s most conversational cuisine.
British Journal of Photography
British Journal of Photography is the world’s longest running photography title, celebrating the pioneers of the medium since 1854. A monthly publication focusing on fine art, documentary, and the cutting edge of editorial and commercial practices, BJP takes an international perspective on contemporary photography. It is published by 1854 Media, an award-winning digital media organisation with a global audience including millions of photographers, arts lovers and international brands. Along with BJP, 1854’s core initiatives include an internationally renowned photography awards programme and a visual content agency that helps brands use the power of photography and video to cultivate and engage larger audiences.
ARTSY
Artsy (artsy.net) is the official online partner of Photo London 2018. Artsy's preview (artsy.net/photo-london), featuring artworks, artists and exhibitors, will launch a week in advance of the fair on May 9th, 2018. Sign up to access this content at: artsy.net/photo-london. Artsy is the global platform for discovering and collecting art. Artsy partners with leading international museums, galleries, auction houses, and art fairs to create the world’s largest marketplace for art. Artsy’s technology enables the growth of the entire art market by effectively connecting supply and demand at a global scale. With 2,000+ partners across 90+ countries and the most-read art publication online, Artsy empowers a global audience to learn about, discover, and collect art. Launched in 2012, Artsy is headquartered in New York City with offices in London, Berlin, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong.
Calligaris
Calligaris is internationally renowned for its design and innovation, producing stylish and functional furniture for 100 countries around the world. With 45 concessions around the UK, the company has become a leading retailer of furniture and accessories with a flagship store in London’s Tottenham Court Road. The offering gives customers the freedom to mix and match shapes, textures and materials to create individual pieces with contemporary flexibility at the heart of every design. Celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, the family-run business is still based at the original factory in Manzano, Italy, where each piece is hand-finished.
SHH Architecture and Interior Design
Founded in 1992 by David Spence, Graham Harris and Neil Hogan, SHH Architecture & Interior Design is an internationally acclaimed London-based practice that is dedicated to working in residential and commercial fields with integrity, intelligence and flair. Providing expertise in architecture and interiors ranging from Super Prime homes and luxurious residential development to hospitality environments in large arenas, the team comprises 50 talented individuals from around the globe, who bring rich diversity in thinking and creative design.