Sony World Photography Awards & Martin Parr - 2017 Exhibition

January 2017:  A major exhibition of the world’s best contemporary photography opens this April at London’s prestigious Somerset House.

The Sony World Photography Awards & Martin Parr - 2017 Exhibition will bring to London a complete celebration of the medium of photography - showcasing rich and fascinating photographic stories from key figures and emerging talent of the photography scene today.

The exhibition will open April 21 for a limited run until May 7, and is the only UK stop before going on a worldwide tour.

The large-scale exhibition will include three rooms dedicated to the life and work of internationally renowned British photographer, Martin Parr, who is the recipient of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards’ Outstanding Contribution to Photography prize.  A hand-picked selection of rarely seen black and white images from Parr’s early career will be presented alongside some of the artist’s most talked about work, books and films and original exhibition posters.

Martin Parr will also host a public talk on Friday 21 April at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE).  Tickets are available at https://www.worldphoto.org/2017exhibition.

The exhibition will also see the début of the winning, shortlisted and commended work from the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards, the world’s largest photography competition.  Many of the works in the exhibition will be shown in the UK for the first time, giving audiences a chance to sample the latest photographic trends from around the world in one historic London location.

Zelda Cheatle, curator of the exhibition comments: “The sheer scale and diversity of imagery from around the globe is enthralling, but the depth of knowledge, the scope of ideas and the ingenuity and skill involved in each image make this an outstanding year for the Sony World Photography Awards and its exhibition.”

Tickets for the exhibition are on sale now at https://www.worldphoto.org/2017exhibition.  Prints from the show will be available to buy via theprintspace, the UK’s leading professional photo and fine art printing service.

For all press enquiries please contact

Press Department, World Photography Organisation

+ 44 (0) 20 7886 3043 or 3049 / press@worldphoto.org

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the Sony World Photography Awards
Marking its 10th anniversary in 2017, the Sony World Photography Awards showcases the best photography in the world from the past year.  Free to enter and open to all photographers, the awards’ are an authoritative voice in the photographic industry, with the power to shape the careers of its successful photographers.The shortlist for the 2017 awards will be announced February 28.  The winners will be announced April 20, the day before the Sony World Photography Awards & Martin Parr - 2017 Exhibition opens.

About World Photography Organisation

The World Photography Organisation is a global platform for photography initiatives.  Working across up to 180 countries, our aim is to raise the level of conversation around photography by celebrating the best imagery and photographers on the planet.

We pride ourselves on building lasting relationships with both individual photographers and our industry-leading partners around the world.  We host a year-round portfolio of events including: the Sony World Photography Awards (the world's largest photography competition, marking its 10th anniversary in 2017), various local meetups/talks throughout the year, and PHOTOFAIRS, International Art Fairs Dedicated to Photography, with destinations in Shanghai and San Francisco.

About Sony Corporation

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, imaging, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world.  Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $72 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016.  Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

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. It is one of the biggest communities of creative organisations in London including over 100 other creative businesses, including The Courtauld Gallery and Institute of Art and King’s College London Cultural Institute and in October 2016 it launched Somerset House Studios, a new experimental workspace in the centre of London connecting artists, makers and thinkers with audiences. 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. Somerset House currently attracts approximately 3.4 million visitors every year.  www.somersethouse.org.uk