Fresh sources
22 December
From today, The Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado, hosts its annual competition exhibition, featuring responses to the themes of ‘Water’ and ‘Portraits’. This year, photographers were encouraged to interpret and respond to the themes with carte blanche, and the selected entries are varied in subject and technique. This years jurors, Jennifer Murray of Filter Photo and Paul Martineau of the J Paul Getty Museum, considered over 3,000 entries prior to making their final selelctions. The competition culminates in a public reception, portfolio reviews, and a professional development seminar. Until 27 January.
Pictured: Untitled, from Three Sisters, Stephan Jahanshahi. © The artist
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Celebrity skin
21 December
A new exhibition at Palm Beach’s Holden Luntz Gallery – ‘All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players’ – collates a selection of vintage photographs of musicians and celebrities. Featuring photographers Terry O’Neill, Clive Arrowsmith, Harry Benson, Gered Mankowitz, Bert Stern, Roy Schatt, Arthur Elgort, and Norman Seeff, it presents photography as a form of mythology, capturing the power of images to create icons and legends. The show aims to pinpoint defining pop culture moments, and cavalier insouciance abounds across snapshots of smoking film stars, rockstars between gigs, and masked beauties at balls. Until 20 January.
Pictured: Frank & Mia, Capote Ball, by Harry Benson, New York, 1966
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Vintage Americana
20 December
In 1979, Magnum photojournalist David Hurn was awarded the ‘UK/USA Bicentennial Fellowship’ to pursue a personal photography project in America. He chose to spend a year in Arizona, documenting ‘ordinary people in ordinary pursuits’. The resulting collection of images has been published in a new book, Arizona Trips, by Reel Art Press. A keen observer, Hurn’s curiosity led him to capture rodeos, school dances, pageants, football games, patriotic marches, and sun-soaked road trips through the dry Arizona desert. The collection of black and white images is a nostalgic snapshot of America.
Pictured: Kenilworth Elementary school where the students get into the spirit of Halloween celebrations with the help of a dressed up teacher, by David Hurn, Phoenix, 1979. © The artist / Magnum Photos
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Liberated visions
19 December
Photographer Eliza Hatch creates a visual representation of sexual harassment by taking portraits of women in the environments in which they have been threatened. Her exhibition, ‘Cheer Up Luv (London to NYC)’, poignantly demonstrates victimised people reclaiming their power, and is now on view at the ICP Museum in New York as part of its ‘Projected’ series. Hatch’s show develops a platform for individuals to voice their experiences, thereby creating a sense of agency in a situation where theirs was once taken away. The young women confront the camera straight on; Hatch has given them the opportunity to reclaim their narrative, which is thoroughly empowering. Until 25 December.
Pictured: Broek, NY, by Eliza Hatch, 2017, New York. © The artist
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Family album
December 18
In 1974, Nicholas Nixon took a portrait of his wife and her three sisters with his 8x10 large format camera. Nixon continued to do an annual portrait of the sisters for 40 years, and the collection of images is currently being featured in his new exhibition ‘Persistence of Vision’ at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston. The annual photoshoot of the Brown sisters captures the passing of time, with a focus on family relationships and the subtleties of aging. The show also includes his other large format documentary photography. Until 22 April 2018.
Pictured: The Brown Sisters, New Canaan, Connecticut, by Nicholas Nixon, 1975. Courtesy the artist and Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco. © Nicholas Nixon
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Fresh eyes
15 December
Opening today, Photostart showcases emerging talent from the Australian Centre for Photography. The exhibition is collated from a wide range of student work, including portraits, landscapes, and still lifes. This year, the showcase will culminate in the inaugural Wentworth Selborne Award for a single outstanding, technically adventurous photograph. The winning entry will receive a cash prize of $2,000. In addition to the exhibition, there will be talks, portfolio reviews, and workshops. Until 3 February 2018.
Pictured: Untitled, by Alexis Roitman, 2017. © The artist
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Home of the brave
14 December
‘Heroic Times’ presents a selection of iconic imagery from the archives of Steve Schapiro at Howard Greenberg Gallery. Through his 60-year career, 83 year old Schapiro has captured key moments of American history and pop culture, with commissions to capture portraits of celebrities, politicians, and artists. The display features his documentation of Robert F Kennedy’s presidential campaign, the civil rights movement, and Andy Warhol’s Factory days, among other important milestones of the 1960s and 1970s. Until 27 January 2018.
Pictured, Nico in Times Square, by Steve Schapiro, 1972. © The artist
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Secret city
12 December
Eddo Hartmann has traveled to North Korea four times since 2014 to gain intimate access to the closed city of Pyongyang. He takes people’s portraits in contrast to the city’s sleek architecture and enlarged monuments, in order to capture the individual experience amid Pyongyang's highly crafted, political persona. ‘Setting the Stage: Pyongyang, North Korea, Part 2’ is currently on view at Huis Marseille Museum for Photography in Amsterdam, and includes photographs, film, and several 360-degree videos from Hartmann’s trip, to create an immersive experience for the viewer. Until 4 March.
Pictured: Brilliant Star Rocket, Three Revolutions Exhibition, Pyongyang, by Eddo Hartmann, 2017
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Table talk
11 December
Daniel Blaufuks photography exhibition ‘Attempting Exhaustion’ opened last weekend at the Jean-Kenta Gauthier gallery in Paris. The show explores themes of time and memory in a series of images that study the artist’s kitchen table from 2009 through to 2016. Blaufuks was inspired by the French writer Georges Perec, who would document his thoughts on the banality of daily life in Paris while sitting at his local café, observing ‘that which is generally not taken note of, that which is not noticed, that which has no importance […]’. The artist documents his personal space with various photography techniques, including large prints, Polaroids, and slides. Until 10 March 2018.
Pictured: ‘12 de Mai de 2016 2:55’ [12 May 2016, 2.55], by Daniel Blaufuks, 2016. © The artist
Writer: Lynsie Roberts
Get your skates on
8 December
‘Silver. Skate. Seventies’ – a collection of never-before-seen Hugh Holland prints currently on view at M+B Photo – depict California’s skateboard revolution of the 70s, which ‘spread like wildfire all over Southern California.’ The collection captures the poise and strength of boarders carving up in the drainage and ditches along the Laurel Canyon Boulevard. In monochrome, we catch a glimpse of the early artistic flair which helped to define his later colour practice. Until 31 January 2018.
Pictured: Go For It, Viper Bowl, Hollywood, CA, by Hugh Holland, 1976. © The artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Break the ice
7 December
As the wintry weather continues in France, Marseille based photographer James Reeve’s exhibition at VV, Les Voûtes is a fitting one. The barren grounds of Canada’s northwest terrain are the subject of ‘Fractures’ and ‘Diavik’. The latter explores Canada’s most ethical diamond mine – Reeve is the first artist who has gained access. Both series possess rich and exceptional detail, while remaining geographically ambiguous. They could be images of the arctic, or another planet entirely. Until 17 December.
Pictured: from the series Diavik, by James Reeve. @ The artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Opportunity knocks
6 December
One month remains for photographers around the world to enter the 11th edition of the Sony Photography Awards. A medley of new entries has been released by the World Photography Organisation, in anticipation of the deadline. The pre-released batch provides a sneak peak into the high quality of entries in the open competition for the best single image, with striking aerial landscapes, intimate portraits, wildlife shots and stolen moments – like this one caught at a kite competition on Marseille beach in France.
Pictured: K Means kite, by Krzysztof Ćwik. © the artist. Poland, Open entry, Street Photography (Open competition). Courtesy of 2018 Sony World Photography Awards
Writer: Samantha Thompson
History repeats
5 December
To honor the 70th anniversary of Magnum photos, four of the agency’s current photographers have responded to an inspiring narrative from Magnum’s archives, supported by Olympus. Asked to consider a work or artist that had influenced their own practice, Olivia Arthur references the ‘Children of Europe’ project shot by Magnum founder David Seymour in the years after the Second World War. Meanwhile, Thomas Dworzak and journalist Julius Strauss retrace the steps of Robert Capa through Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia in A Russian Journal. Highlights include the work of Moises Saman and Marco Bischof, who follow the footsteps of Werner Bischof as he documented life in the Peruvian mountains, where he also tragically died in a road accident in 1954. Until 9 December at Art Bermondsey Project Space.
Pictured: Sierra de La Libertad, Peru, by Moises Samen, September 17, 2017. © the artist and Magnum Photos
Writer: Samantha Thompson
For africa
4 December
The 11th edition of the African Biennale of Photography launched over the weekend in Bamako, Mali. Curator Maria-Ann Yemsi has fashioned a programme focussed on freedom, expression and creativity. ‘Afrotopia’ takes a progressive stance in supporting up and coming talent, and pools together traditional photography in parallel to contemporary formats and new media, showcasing installations videos and digital arts. Until 31 January 2018.
Pictured: Moraigny, Madagascar, France, by Christian Sanna, 2014-2016. © the artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Drawing board
1 December
Iranian-American artist Raha Raissnia grew up in Tehran during the 1978-79 revolution, and she often accompanied her father, an amateur photographer, on trips to the city center to document mass protests against the shah. Mirroring this early experience in her current work, Raissnia continues to take photographs of stolen moments. ‘Alluvius’ – The Drawing Centre in New York’s solo exhibition of the artist – features two series of abstract charcoal drawings, inspired by Raissnia’s archival photography and found imagery. Until 4 February.
Pictured: Fountain by Raha Raissnia, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and Miguel Abreu Gallery, New York
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Monumental imagery
30 November
Throughout December, Marco Walker is showing a new body of work ‘Utopia/Dystopia’ in a private home in the heart of Mayfair. Opened yesterday, the exhibition explores the photographer’s recent journey through isolated territories of former Yugoslavia including Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo and Croatia, uncovering a series of gargantuan, concrete monuments commissioned by the late President Tito. Employing analogue film techniques alongside traditional printing processes, the photographs cast a window back in time at these statues. Until 20 December.
Pictured: N45° 34’, E14° 14’, by Marco Walker, 2016. © The artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Go platinum
29 November
This year saw the 70th anniversary of Camera Press. In honor of the platinum celebration, photographic artist, curator and co-owner Emma Blau has created a film, delving into the history of some of Camera Press’ extraordinary photographers. We also witness the narratives behind some of the agency's most iconic images, including insights into the work of Tom Blau, Yousuf Karsh, John Swannell, Clive Arrowsmith, Jillian Edelstein, Chris Floyd and curator Terence Pepper, among others.
Pictured: Christine Keeler pictured in a secret screen test for the movie 'The Christine Keeler Story’, by Tom Blau, 1963. © The artist / Camera Press
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Mother nature
28 November
‘As I grew older, there was no use competing with her, so I assumed my position, quite happily, on the other side of the camera,’ said Sage Sohier, ahead of her solo exhibition at New York’s Foley Gallery, opening tomorrow. ‘Witness to Beauty’ is a compelling chronicle spanning Sohier’s 25-year relationship with her sister, Laine, and her mother, Wendy Morgan. The exhibition explores notions of beauty, particularly in respect to Morgan who previously graced the cover of several magazines and was photographed by Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and more. Until 7 January 2018.
Pictured: Mum and I in bathrobes, Washington, D.C, 2000, by Sage Sohier. © The artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Dark arts
27 November
This weekend saw the opening of ‘Koža’, a new show by photographer and writer Deanna Pizzitelli at Stephen Bugler Gallery in Toronto. Employing a myriad of analogue approaches to photography, Pizzitelli questions the versatility of historical processes, evoking lost times and places in her poignant landscapes. With bleak, isolated backdrops setting the scene, a narrative of the artist’s own wanderlust unfolds across the small images, weaving together tales of desire, eroticism, longing and loss. Until 13 January 2018.
Pictured: Deanna Tub II, 2015, by Deanna Pizzitelli. © The artist. Courtesy of Stephen Bulger Gallery
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Spaced out
24 November
Monica Alcazar-Duarte is at the vanguard of emerging photographers. Today, The Photographers’ Gallery in London is launching her first publication, The New Colonists. As this year’s winner of the gallery’s Bar-Tur Photobook Award, she has worked alongside the gallery and Bemojake to publish the project. The three part tome begins in the American suburban town of Mars, Pennsylvania, interspersed with images of the science community who are attempting to make space colonisation a reality. Onwards and upwards!
Pictured: Astronaut extreme environment training from The New Colonists, 2017, by Monica Alcazar-Duarte. © The artist. Courtesy of The Photographers’ Gallery
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Second life
23 November
Norwegian artist Edvard Munch is celebrated the world over for his paintings, prints and watercolours, but a new retrospective opening this week is set to reveal a lesser known side of his oeuvre: photography. Scandinavia House in New York is showing 50 images from the Munch Museum in Oslo, alongside films and an assortment of prints from private collections. Adopting an experimental approach, Munch questioned and exploited photography’s potential, using distortion, blurred motion and eccentric camera angles. Until 5 March.
Pictured: Ludvig Ravensberg in Åsgårdstrand, by Edvard Munch. Courtesy of Munch Museum
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Flash back
22 November
In December 1975, Dutch photographer Bertien van Manen captured daily life in metropolitan Hungary, capturing a country on the brink of development. Published by MACK, I will be Wolf draws together her black and white photographs, combining conceptual rigor with poetic ambiguity. A nostalgic throwback to a bygone era, the book includes unseen snapshots of commuters, grocers, chemists and street vendor, with editorial direction from notable photographer Stephen Gill.
Pictured: I will be Wolf, by Bertien van Manen, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and MACK.
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Shore to Shore
21 November
The American photographer Stephen Shore soared to fame in the 1970s by highlighting the hidden spectacle of the everyday. New York’s Museum of Modern Art is holding a comprehensive retrospective of his career, all the way back to its formative moments (and including works produced at the age of 14, which were acquired by the hugely influential photographer and curator Edward Steichen). The exhibition tracks the prolific thematic divergences of Shore’s output, drawing on hundreds of photographic works and pivoting from the gelatin silver prints he made as a teenager to his current digital practice surveying Israel and Ukraine. Until 28 May 2018.
Pictured: Graig Nettles, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 1, 1978, by Stephen Shore, 1978. © the artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Facing the music
20 November
British photographer Brian Griffin, a landmark practitioner of the 1970s and 80s, has released a new photobook with GOST. POP documents his thriving career as a music photographer; composed of photographs from album covers, single sleeves, posters and press, the book's 350 pages shed light on the juxtaposition of Griffin’s technical naivety and major visual intention. Tomorrow evening, Griffin takes centre stage at the London College of Communication for an all-inclusive dialogue with Terry Rawlings, offering an exclusive insight into a pioneering era in music and visual history.
Pictured: Elvis Costello and The Attractions, ‘Armed Forces/Taking Liberties’, by Brian Griffin, 1978. © the artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Space out
17 November
The worlds of photography and sculptural practice are meeting head on in the site-specific installation ‘Not the Actual Site’, by Dutch photographic artist Marleen Sleeuwit at LhGWR in The Hague this weekend. Playing with the changes of surface patinas in a room, original images, edited works, reconstructions and 3D works are brought together to create a new whole. Until 20 January 2018.
Pictured: Interior No.51, by Marleen Sleeuwits. Courtesy of LhGWR
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Golden age
16 November
Today, Tristan Hoare’s London gallery opens a celebration of African studio photography. Dating back to 1950s – the heyday of the medium – ‘Studio Africa’ represents a time of sovereignty, youth and energetic optimism. The exhibition draws on seven photographers from the epoch, including the late Jean Depara, who was dedicated to capturing life after dark in Kinshasa city. Until 20 December.
Pictured: La Belle Americaine, by Jean Depara, 1965. Courtesy of Tristan Hoare Gallery and Magnin-A
Face time
15 November
Marking the 10th anniversary of National Portrait Gallery’s prestigious Taylor Wessing photographic Portrait Prize, this year saw 5,717 submissions entered by 2,423 photographers from 66 countries. In the midst of all this, three photographs were shortlisted in an anonymous judging. Along with work by Abbie Trayler-Smith and Maija Tammi, Cesar Dezfuli's photograph Amadou Sumalia shined, from a series documenting the plight of migrants fleeing from conflict, discrimination and poverty. The showcase of finalists opens tomorrow at London’s National Portrait Gallery and continues until 4 February.
Pictured: Amadou Sumaila, by César Dezfuli, 2017. © The artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Cool customer
14 November
Today marks the opening of multimedia exhibition ‘Light’, a new body of work by eminent photographer Michel Comte at the MAXXI Museum in Rome. A keen climber and aviator, Comte has been traversing and capturing glacial landscapes for the past 30 years, observing the impact of environmental decline, and confronting the traditions of conventional landscape photography. As well as being enchanting landscapes, his photographs are known to prompt vast political dialogue. The showcase will be on view until 10 December alongside Black light – a large-scale installation to be unveiled on 28 November at the Triennale di Milano, on view until 6 January.
Pictured: Heli Lake, from the series ‘Light’ by Michel Comte, 2017
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Positive impact
13 October
London’s Fitzrovia Chapel welcomes a compelling celebration of London Middlesex Hospital's Broderip and Charles Bell AIDS wards. ‘The Ward’ records the lives of those suffering with HIV in 1993, an era before the availability of antiretroviral medications and a time when the disease was considered a death sentence. Through Gideon Mendel’s black and white photographs, we discern the considerable bravery of the patients confronted with the frightening prospect of a painful, untimely death. The chapel is opening its doors each Sunday and Wednesday in November, in the lead up to World AIDS Day on 1 December. The exhibition is being held in conjunction with publication of The Ward by Trolley Books. Until 3 December.
Pictured: The Ward. Courtesy Gideon Mendel and Trolley Books.
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Grand Tour
10 October
In the heart of Paris every angle of the photography medium is set to collide at the imperial Grand Palais. The 21st edition of Paris Photo, the eminent global art fair devoted to photography, has yet again fashioned an illustrious roster of events. The fair features 151 carefully selected galleries from 29 countries which are exhibiting an array of artistic diverseness, accompanied by talks, book signings, photobook awards, films, videos and a carte blanche for up-and-coming artists. The fair-goer plays spectator to a myriad of works from across the preceding decades, setting sights on the art form of photography that is endlessly reinventing itself. With Karl Lagerfeld as this year’s guest of honour, this is a Paris Photo not to be missed. Until 12 November.
Pictured: Untitled by Tod Papageorge, New York. © the artist. Courtesy Galerie Thomas Zander
Stroke of genius
9 November
Musical innovator Prince, whose creative voice continues to unravel posthumously with a new album, is centre stage of Proud Galleries’ latest showcase, opening today. Picturing Prince charts the flourishing alliance between the artist, his art director and official photographer Steve Parke. Documenting Prince’s dazzling charm, Parke leads the way to understanding the star’s rousing image. With Paisley park setting the scene, we unearth a glimpse of a life once largely mysterious, mapping out the drive behind his triumph and ambition. Parke’s highly praised photobook will coincide with the intimate showcase. Until 3 December.
Pictured: Caught a Plane to Spain, by Steve Parke. © the artist. Courtesy of Proud Galleries
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Northern soul
8 November
The North of England harbours a unique slice of British identity, landscaped by industrial architecture (and stereotypically bolshy temperaments), it has proven to be a bountiful breeding ground for style and creative vision for decades. As seen earlier this year at Liverpool’s Open Eye Gallery and now at London's Somerset House, 'North: Fashioning Identity' aims to explore the Northern truths depicted through the eye of those native to the area and those who are not. Curators Lou Stoppard and Adam Murray have explored the many avenues of representation and themes that are frequently rehashed in both design and media, which question our cultural understanding of its reality. The Somerset House show also houses thus far unseen visual assets such as Eric Jacquier’s charming double-portrait of a woman and boy in Leeds in 1969 (pictured). Unpicked through film, fashion and photography dating from the 30’s to the present day, the exhibition explores the multifaceted and fascinating North – let’s hope you’re as mad fer it as we are!
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Guest of honour
7 November
The International Center of Photography – the worlds leading organisation dedicated to photography and visual ethos – today hosts the Spotlights Awards Luncheon in New York. The seventh installment honours this year's Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario. Known for calling attention to thorny concerns and brutal conflicts, her courageous take on world events is evidenced through her winning portfolio. The benefit lunch will host an on-stage dialogue between Addario and journalist Katie Couric.
Photography: © Lynsey Addario. Writer: Samantha Thompson
Go west
6 October
Earlier this year, Sam Contis released Deep Springs – her first publication with MACK Books – in which she surveys the isolation of a sheltered valley east of California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. Centred on an all-male arts college founded by the pioneering early 20th-century educator LL Nunn, Contis has pooled together a selection of new photographs alongside some taken a century ago, by the college’s first students.
Pictured: Deep Springs, by Sam Contis, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and MACK
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Life's work
3 November
To honor Swiss photographer René Groebli’s 90th birthday, Zurich’s Bildhalle Gallery is presenting a comprehensive solo exhibition of the artist's vast and diverse oeuvre. Hailed as a leading character in Switzerland’s photographic narrative, Groebli's career is here traced through a smattering of his oft-forgotten portfolios – like ones he captured in Ireland and New York – alongside well-known series like ‘The Eye of Love’, created during Groebli’s honeymoon with his wife Rita in France. Until 2 December.
Pictured: The Eye of Love, Lying Nude (No. 532), Paris, by René Groebli, 1952. Courtesy of the artist
Lease of life
2 November
New York-based photographer Kenro Izu’s prevailing work on India is on view at the city’s Howard Greenberg Gallery until 9 December. Focused on the ethos and spirituality of India’s traditions, 'Eternal light' brings into beguiling focus the experiences of joy and suffering related to death and the afterlife. Sacred cities Varanasi and Allahabad supply the backdrop to the portraits and landscapes, which outwardly translate earthy concerns. In tune with the emotions of his subjects, Izu says, 'It’s as though the Hindu gods have suggested that I think about the question, "Where are people heading, in this life and after?"'.
Pictured: Eternal Light 62 #9 Allahabad, India, by Kenro Izu, 2013. Courtesy Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Caught in the act
1 November
London based photographer Polly Brown and Swiss graphic and type designer Philippe Karrer have allied their creativity to construct a new book in which unassuming commercial and public galleries provide the sets. Available from Spheres Publication, Performances documents a series of interventions that the duo staged in London galleries throughout the summer. Each photograph is presented alongside a text composed of sentences from the featured galleries’ press releases, in a tongue-in-cheek version of the ‘cut-up’ technique, originally established by William S. Burroughs.
Pictured: Sitting, Durational performance (Variation on position), by Polly Brown and Philippe Karrer, at Hauser & Wirth, London, 2017
Writer: Samantha Thompson
London calling
31 October
There is new addition to London's festival circuit, Pic.London, opening today for one week only. Established by artists Rakesh Mohindra and Yuxin Jiang, the show aims to display the work of artists at different stages of their careers, while making audiences think twice about how they appreciate the art form. The festival provides a platform for both well-known and establishing photographers, set across different city locations in installations, discussions and markets. Rising talent Jorge Luis Dieguez is amongst the exhibitors with his series Stability and Constructivity that reinterprets the photograph as a solid 3D structure. Until 5 November.
Pictured: Stability and Constructivity by Jorge Luis Dieguez, 2016. Courtesy the artist.
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Gavel talk
30 October
The 38th annual fundraiser for San Francisco Camerawork took place this weekend. The famed photography auction was populated by collectors on a national scale, who gathered to raise money for the institution’s events programme, which focuses on nurturing rising talent. The not-for-profit organisation is well known for vetting tomorrow’s up and coming art stars alongside classic jewels, which this year’s auction reflected. A selection of 90 photographs, including work from Walker Evans, Danny Lyon and Janette Beckman, presented a medley of cutting-edge technique and vintage prints.
Pictured: Run DMC, Hollis Queens, by Janette Beckman
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Park life
27 October
This weekend sees the opening of ‘On the heights’ – an exhibition of new work at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Earlier this year, four artists (Miriam Austin, Sam Belinfante, Tom Lovelace and Frances Scott) were invited to spend two weeks at the park, in exchange for a creative response to its rugged landscape. The resulting works, on display in the atmospheric Bothy Gallery and en plein air, survey the character and narratives of the surrounding valley, along with the local history of YSP. Tom Lovelace’s work prompts us to question what anecdotes and high tales can be believed about the park, through photographic assemblage, sculpture and a new performance that takes visitors on an ‘alternative tour’ of the Estate. Until 3 December.
Pictured: Bouy, by Tom Lovelace, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and Art Licks
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Social protest
26 October
To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr, New York’s Steve Kasher Gallery is hosting a major showing of Jill Freedman’s series ‘Resurrection City, 1968’. Over 70 rare black and white prints rawly recount what life was like inside a camp built on the Washington Mall by activists protesting the asassination of the civil rights leader. In the words of Freedman, ‘I had to see what was happening, to record it and be a part of it, I felt so bad’. The work has never before been seen in a gallery setting. Until 22 December.
Pictured: Policeman with Baton Facing Demonstrators, Poor Peoples Campaign, Washington, D.C, by Jill Freedman, 1968. Courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery, New York
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Finders keepers
25 October
Today sees the opening of Masters of Photography, at London’s Beetles + Huxley Gallery, showcasing a rare collection of photographs by leading practitioners. With a strong emphasis on the rarity and quality of the print, we witness a program of 30 masterpieces, picked for the imporant role they played in the development of photography. Highlights include Gustave le Grey’s vintage prints made in 1656, Irving Penn’s celebrated ‘Cigarette’ series (pictured) and an enchanting portrait of triplets by Diane Arbus. Until 18 November.
Pictured: Cigarettes #34, New York, by Irving Penn, 1974. Courtesy of Beetles + Huxley
Writer: Samantha Thompson
In vogue
24 October
Photographer, writer and lecturer Eugénie Shinkle has collated 180 of what she deems to be the most pivotal fashion photographs in a new book published by Thames & Hudson. Fashion Photography: The Story in 180 Pictures charts how fashion photography flourished through the rise of illustrated magazines, how influential art directors collaborated with photographers to shape epochs of style, and how generations of fashion photographers have built upon one another's success. An art object in itself, this weighty tome provides an all-inclusive, visual record of 150-years worth of unforgettable fashion frames.
Pictured: Viviane Sassen, In Bloom (1), from Dazed & Confused, 2011. © The artist
A cut above
23 October
Aid organisation St Mungo’s works to rebuild the lives of those sleeping rough or otherwise facing homelessness. In collaboration with Cuts, a well-known Soho barbershop, British photographer William Selden has focused his camera on the charity’s work, volunteering to take portraits of homeless people having their hair cut. It's a show of solidarity that’s also ‘fun and heartwarming’, explains Selden.
Pictured: Iain, by William Selden. © St Mungo's Portraits 2017
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Behind the screen
20 October
‘You couldn’t help feeling that you had stolen this image-object from the world. You had transferred a piece of the past into the present,’ says Wim Wenders on the magic of polaroid photography, ahead of his ‘Instant Stories’ exhibition, on display from today at The Photographers’ Gallery in collaboration with Wim Wenders Foundation and C|O Berlin Foundation. Serving as a visual diary, the show offers a singular insight into the Oscar-nominated filmmaker’s life, pivoting between the early 1970s and mid 80s. Taking us on a lyrical journey, we catch a glimpse of his way of thinking, with tribute to his artistic inspirations, Fassbinder and Warhol. Until 11 February.
Pictured: Dennis Hopper, by Wim Wenders, 1976. © The artist. Courtesy of Deutsches Filminstitut Frankfurt AM
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Curve appeal
19 October
Tomorrow, London’s Webber Gallery is launching an exhibition of Mel Bles’ series Islands – a sophisticated study of femininity. Toying with the contours of the human body, Bles paints lines on her nude models. She positions the female body as independent, complex and powerful through the use of traditional photographic tropes – shadows, mirrors, nudity and still life. Until 25 November.
Pictured: Untitled, 2017, by Mel Bles, from the series Islands
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Waiting game
18 October
As London braces itself for Brexit, ‘independence’ seems an apt theme for the five-day Bloomsbury Festival, which opens today. The topical subject is explored through photographs at the atmospheric Crypt Gallery on Euston Road. ‘In the waiting room’ sees Maria-Edmée di Samuy and Irene Barontini curate a 13-strong series of images from both seasoned and fledgling practitioners, each exploring ways of striving for independence – or redefining the concept altogether. Among the exhibitors is Leon Chew with his series, ‘The India League’. Until 22 October.
Pictured: KVKM, the missing sculptures of Krishna Menon, 2015, by Leon Chew, from ‘The India League’. Courtesy of the artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
On to a winner
13 October
The annual William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize has brings together Australia’s finest photographers. With the largest number of entries to date, this year’s illustrious judging panel (including Susan Fereday) has narrowed it down to 59 exceptional images. According to Fereday, selection was tough: ‘There were enough strong photographs to fill several shows.’ Gender diversity, LGBTQI rights, repatriation of indigenous remains, biodiversity in first nations and drone photography are some of the powerful thematic concerns explored by shortlisted finalists, on view from tomorrow, at the Montash Gallery ART in Melbourne. On 19 October the judges will convene to deliberate a first prize-winner from the vast display of exemplary photographic prints. On view until 26 November.
Pictured: Untitled II (from the family archives), by Janelle Low, 2017. Courtesy of the artist, This Is No Fantasy, and Dianne Tanzer Gallery
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Past master
12 October
Sunday marks the opening of ‘Untouched’ by the late Guy Bourdin – one of the 20th-century’s most lauded photographers – at Galleria Carla Sozzani in Milan. He was known for his uncanny eye for surrealism and his ability to fashion a fantasy world. At Galleria Carla Sozzani, an untouched collection of his earliest work from 1950-1955 are on show – their striking attributes prelude his later fashion photographs, bringing into view the decisive moments of the first years of his image-making. Until 12 November.
Pictured: Vogue Paris, Ottobre, 1969, by Guy Bourdin. © The Guy Bourdin Estate. Courtesy of Art + Commerce
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Golden rule
11 October
Conceptual photography double act Bernd and Hilla Becher were known for their distinctive deadpan photography. This weekend sees the opening of ‘Bernd and Hilla Becher’ at Hauser & Wirth in Zurich, with work selected by Max Becher and organised with the help of Olivier Renaud-Clement. The exhibition translates the duo’s vigorous and accurate devotion to document the hasty change in urban landscapes from the 1960s through to the early 1990s. In a period subject to simplicity, the pair revived industrial structures, employing a strategic set of rules to ensure consistency in size, style and format, they soon established their legacy as leaders of conceptual photography. Until 22 December.
Pictured: Zeche Hannibal, Bochum, Ruhrgebiet, 1973, by Bernd and Hilla Becher. © Estate Bernd and Hilla Becher. Courtesy of the Estate and Hauser & Wirth
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Get real
10 October
The innovative research project ‘Augmented Photography’, carried out by ECAL and University of Art and Design in Lausanne, offers a unique perspective on the recent changes to photographic technologies. The institutions push the creative capability of digital photographic procedures, employing out of the ordinary methods for producing, modifying, diffusing and teaching photography. A roster of these mind-bending works will be on view from this Thursday, preceding a day-long symposium on Friday, both at Gallery L’Elac in Switzerland. Until 27 October.
Pictured: Genesis 1:27, by Nicolas Toulotte, at the Augmented Photography project, 2017
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Observation station
9 October
Russian-born photographer Sasha Gusov is an inveterate people watcher. He’s interested in capturing the idiosyncrasies that make us human. A new photo essay-style book, People Like Us, made in collaboration with editorial director Amanda Renshaw, is out today, published by Laurence King. The book brings to light Gusov’s all-embracing archive, with a playful narrative, undercut by anecdotal, tongue-in-cheek captions.
Pictured: Untitled, by Sasha Gusov, 2017. © The artist
Never forget
6 October
To commemorate the centenary of WWI, a landmark retrospective is being held at the Impressions Gallery in Bradford, UK. The debut of ‘No Man’s Land’ will open tomorrow and draws attention to female perspectives on the war. The work of three influential woman of the epoch will be displayed in parallel to three contemporary artists. Highlights include the UK’s first official female war photographer ‘Olive Edis’ capturing the imperative contributions of the female workforce, front line nurse Mairi Chisholm’s moving battle-torn snapshots, and former solider Alison Baskerville’s commissioned portraits of women in the British army today. Until 30 December.
Pictured: Irene 'Winkie' Gartside-Spaight in No Man's Land, by Mairi Chisholm, c.1916. © National Library of Scotland
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Golden ticket
5 October
Following the success of The Hepatitis C Trust’s ‘Art on a Postcard’ fundraiser, the charity is championing ‘Photography on a Postcard’. Today the lottery opens, offering the opportunity to purchase a raffle ticket that will guarantee a unique, postcard-size edition from the forthcoming showcase. On view at the Printspace in London from 12-27 October, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity for emerging photographers to exhibit work among some of the industry's greatest, like Martin Parr, Wolfgang Tillmans and Dougie Wallace.
Pictured: April. San Bernardino, California, by Jim Goldberg, 2015. © The artist
Independence day
4 October
Marking 70 years of independence in India, the London Science Museum is playing host to a host of festivities and exhibitions, with a focus on advances in science, technology and maths in the region that have changed the world. Today marks the opening of ‘Photography 1857-2017’, the first UK exhibition to survey photography in India from its beginnings to the present day. The vast showcase spans every twist and turn in India’s photographic canon, bringing into focus iconic images of royalty like Ahmad Ali Khan, through to pioneering contemporary practitioners like Vasantha Yogananthan. Until 31 March.
Pictured: Shravanabelagola, Karnataka, India, 1981, by Mitch Epstein. Courtesy of Galerie Thomas Zander, Köln
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Copy right
3 October
American photographer Sherrie Levine is known for her open reproductions of well-known works, where she challenges notions of originality and authenticity. Her latest exhibition ‘Pie Town’ opens tomorrow at London's David Zwirner Gallery, as Frieze crowds descend on the capital. Featuring the unseen series After Russell Lee 1-60 (2016), the exhibition centres on life in rural New Mexico, where Levine revisits imagery taken by photographers contracted by the Farm Security Administration, an agency set up in the 1930s to combat rural poverty in the wake of the Great Depression. Until 18 November.
Pictured: After Russell Lee, by Sherri Levine, 2016. © The artist. Courtesy of David Zwirner, London
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Tango till they’re sore
2 October
‘History of a Nightclub: Downtown AREA, NYC, 1983–87’ by Ben Buchanan opens tomorrow at Peter Harrington Gallery in London. Buchanan, the once in-house photographer of iconic Manhattan nightclub AREA, turned his lens on a debaucherous city, capturing a candid portfolio of artists and celebrities, including the likes of Andy Warhol, Tom Waits (pictured) and the Beastie Boys. The exhibition presents a rare glimpse into the scandalous nightlife of the rich, talented and famous in the eighties. Until 31 October.
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Brief encounters
29 September
‘It’s love at first sight. You see something and you have to capture it. Instinctive, bang, you feel one with it,’ the words of Patti Smith are used to describe the images inside Carrie Boretz’s photobook Street which was released earlier this week by Powerhouse Publishing. In a city filled with forgotten histories, Boretz played witness to the understated realities of everyday life in New York between the 1970s and the 90s. The photographs detain notions of simplicity and awareness, avoiding the commotion of the city. The book brings together works of the past, but with aspects of humanity that remain on the streets today.
Pictured: Dinosaur Playground, Riverside Park and 97th Street, 1993, by Carrie Boretz, from the series Street
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Trail gazer
28 September
Daisuke Yokota is at the vanguard of experimental Japanese photography. Today, London's Roman Road Gallery opens ‘Emergence’, an exhibition showcasing three of Yokata’s recent projects. We see 53 photographs from ‘Tarantine' (2015), an intimate series stimulated by the female figures in his life. The exhibition also presents Yokoata's 'camera-less' photography, which uses copious amounts of light-sensitive colloids brushed, and then exposed, across delicate surfaces. Until 11 November.
Pictured: Untitled, by Daisuke Yokota, 2015. Courtesy of Roman Road and G/P Gallery. © Daisuke Yokota
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Identity parade
27 September
Today sees the opening of German photographer Thomas Ruff’s first major London retrospective, hosted by the Whitechapel Gallery. Curated by the gallery’s director Iwona Blazwick, the exhibition is thematically-structured, drawing upon work from the 1970s to the present day. From his large-scale, passport-style portraits to shots captured by a high-performance telescope, the show spans the habitual to the cosmic. Until 21 January.
Pictured: Porträt (P Stadtbäumer), by Thomas Ruff, 1988. © The artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Spy master
26 September
British photographer Lewis Bush has long resisted conventional photographic techniques. This autumn sees the release of his latest book, Shadows of the State, a visual compendium of mysterious, coded radio transmissions left behind after the Cold War. Using high-resolution satellite imagery, the photographer positions the transmitter sites of 33 radio stations where such broadcasts originated, exploring the shadows of this tumultuous era through photographs and audio-depictions from the stations.
Pictured: HM01 Spectogram, 2017, by Lewis Bush, from Shadows of the State
Writer: Samantha Thompson
State of the art
25 September
For over five decades, American film-maker and artist Eleanor Antin has championed a feminist perspective. Her debut London exhibition ‘Romans & Kings’ is on display at Richard Saltoun Gallery until 27 October, featuring both recent and older works – including the renowned Helen Odyssey (2007) and The last days of Pompeii (2002) – each exploring themes surrounding fictional and non-fictional tales. Antin’s postcard series 100 Boots (1971) will be shown at the Richard Saltoun Gallery booth at Frieze Masters next month.
Pictured: 100 Boots Lunch Break, Long Beach, California, by Eleanor Antin. © The artist. Courtesy of Richard Saltoun Gallery
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Winning streak
22 September
Yesterday, at the opening of Unseen Amsterdam Ralph Hamers revealed the winners of the ING Unseen Talent Award 2017. The final five participating artists responded to this year’s theme – ‘Common Ground’ – each delving into society’s critical concerns and highlighting a multitude of parallels among the differences. A talent programme led by the photographer Nadav Kander was offered to the finalists. But it was Andrea Grützner who shone with her series ‘Hive’, which addressed notions of surrealism and a sinister side to architecture.
Pictured: Untitled 02, by Andrea Grützner, 2017. © The artist
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Great expectations
21 September
Burberry’s unveiling of its September 2017 collection in London coincides with an homage to British photography. The showcase at Old Sessions House in Clerkenwell celebrates Britain in all its multiplicity, presenting work from over 30 influential photographers. Divided into themes reflecting different facets of life, from romance to picnics, the three-storey exhibition captures a beguiling – and at times, surprising – portrait of Britain. Photographs from Shirley Baker and Ken Russell are put on display for the very first time. Until 1 October
Pictured: Jerry Dammers, by Janette Beckman. © Janette Beckman
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Third coast
19 September
Much-admired photographer Alec Soth’s first London showing of his 2004 book Sleeping by the Mississippi opens tomorrow at Beetles + Huxley. In the exhibition, original prints from the influential series (one of the defining publications in the photobook era) are displayed alongside a previously unseen image, accompanied by the latest edition of the book, published by Mack. Through a richly colourful narrative, Soth takes us on an in-depth expedition along the Mississippi River, America’s iconic yet oft-neglected ‘third coast’. Thirteen years since its first publication, this new showcase asks us to ponder the seminal work's continuing relevance. Until 21 October.
Pictured: Fort Jefferson Memorial Cross, by Alec Soth, 2002 © Alec Soth / Magnum Photos courtesy Sean Kelly Gallery, New York and Beetles + Huxley Gallery, London
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Foster roster
18 September
Photographer Thomas Brown’s project ‘Volume of Light’ presents a new, collaborative approach to photography. Its works will be exhibited tomorrow evening at Wieden+Kennedy in Amsterdam, for one night only. Challenging the concept of authorship, Brown invites audiences to join in, either online with a dedicated website or at the launch, by ‘adopting’ the title of a chosen photograph, with a limit of 47 characters. Together, we’re encouraged to add to the finished image. The process studies the relationship between the image-taker and image-maker. Adoption is open until the last image is claimed.
Pictured: Space Has Always Reduced Me To Silence, by Thomas Brown, 2017
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Truth will out
15 September
Throughout September, Photo Oxford 2017 continues to unveil hidden photographic treasures. Curators Tim Clark and Greg Hobson have overseen a programme of events investigating the camera’s ability to disclose concealed narratives. Exhibited series include Sergei Vasiliev and Arkady Bronnikov’s images of Russian criminal tattoos, photographed between the 1960s and the mid-1980s; and a new body of work by Martin Parr, documenting the closed-doors antics of students. On view until 24 September.
Pictured: from Russian Criminal Tattoo Archive, by Arkady Bronnikov and Sergei Vasiliev. © the artists / FUEL
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Outsider art
14 September
Leonard Freed’s exhibition at Steven Kasher Gallery in New York spans 75 black-and-white photographs, taken from six of the post-war photographer’s most important bodies of work. From reflecting on his Jewish roots to tracing the conditions of black people living in ‘White America’, the exhibition ‘Six Stories’ showcases a sophisticated, and ever-relevant narrative of underrepresented communities. A master storyteller, Freed calls attention to the triumphs and tribulations of individuals he recorded with a singular, humanist vision. Until 21 October.
Pictured: Boys are Showing How Strong They are at Harlem School Rooftop Swimming Pool, Harlem, New York, by Leonard Freed, 1963. Courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery, New York
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Third rock
13 September
Today, American photographer Lucas Foglia opens his exhibition ‘Human Nature’ at London’s Michael Hoppen Gallery. With climate change at the forefront of his mind and latest body of work, Foglia presents a series that peels back the fragility of the natural world. As the exhibition progresses, the dire importance of Foglia’s message is drilled a little deeper: ‘If humans are changing the weather, then there is no place on Earth unaltered by people.’ Until 21 October.
Pictured: Ice to Protect Orange Trees from the Cold, California, by Lucas Foglia. Courtesy of the artist and Michael Hoppen Gallery
Writer: Samantha Thompson
A fair to remember
12 September
The spheres of photography and fashion are set to collide tomorrow, as the eighth edition of the Tbilisi Photo Festival kicks off. This year’s festival will explore notions of identity and its complex relationship with fashion, representation and the photographic image. A must-see festival sure to question your way of seeing. Highlights including work by stalwarts Guy Bourdin and Viviane Sassen, as well as an extremely rare collection of East German fashion photography from the Stasi period in the 1970s. Until 20 September.
Pictured: © Suresh Punjabi / Studio Suhag
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Natural selection
11 September
Known for his penchant for reanimating history, photographer Jim Naughten will open a new exhibition, ‘Mountains of Kong’, at London’s Michael Hoppen Gallery on Wednesday. Here, science and photography collide – the artist’s latest body of work has been created using the same stereoscopic technology that was once popular practice in the 1800s. The exhibition explores the volatility of history through a series of 50 striking images of Victorian and Edwardian zoological specimens. Until 21 October.
Pictured: The Toucans, by Jim Naughten. © The artist. Courtesy of Michael Hoppen Gallery
Writer: Samantha Thompson
Hold your gaze
8 September
This weekend marks the third installment of annual photography festival Gazebook. Over the next three days, Sicily will be bursting as a vibrant open-air cultural event springs to life, celebrating all things photographic with a focus on publications. A myriad of events are available ranging from exhibitions and installations to artist talks, editorial launches and portfolio reviews. Amongst this there is the opportunity to engage with industry professionals, the social space promoting open discussion between creators and visitors. Until 10 September.
Pictured: The Mushroom Collection, by Jason Fulford. Courtesy of the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Double vision
7 September
Today, SF Camerawork launches the exhibition ‘Begin Anywhere’ – a group show featuring individual and collaborative works that centre on the theme of mentorship and artistic partnership. The stimulating work on display explores the way in which artistic ideas develop and the effect of a guiding eye on this process. The exhibition is supported by a 96-page publication containing over 60 full-colour reproductions of the works on display. Until 14 October.
Pictured: Word Search, word: SIN, from Begin Anywhere, by Mark Mahaney. Courtesy of the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Disappearing act
6 September
Known for his politically charged performances, immortalised through photography, Chinese artist Liu Bolin opens exhibition ‘Ghost Stories’ today at Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris. Since 2005’s Hiding in the City, Bolin has worked on a series of performances in which he is painted to blend in with the background behind him – this silent protest forces the viewer to confront the decay of individuality. Bolin also uses his work to denounce consumerism in modern culture. Until 29 October.
Pictured: Hiding in the City – Paris 04, Safe Door, 2011, by Liu Bolin. © The artist. Courtesy of Galerie Paris, Beijing
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Needle point
5 September
Artist Julie Cockburn is known for her sculptural manipulations of appropriated photographic prints. A new exhibition of work, ‘All Work and No Play’ (a nod to The Shining), opens tomorrow at the Flowers Gallery in London. The artist reworks vintage studio portraiture using overpainting and embroidery, rejecting mass produced artworks and addressing gender themes through the traditionally feminine craft of sewing. The works on display are orientated around contradictions – labour and experimentation, modernity and tradition. These conflicting ideologies collide in an explosion of colour intervention upon black and white photography. Until 30 September.
Pictured: First Flush by Julie Cockburn, 2017. © The artist. Courtesy of Flowers Gallery
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Future seekers
1 September
Foam is known for the attention it gives to exciting emerging artists – an attribute that is never more prominent than at the gallery's Talent Call exhibitions. This year saw the 11th annual edition attract the largest influx of submissions yet. Nearly 1,800 entries have been whittled down to a longlist of 20 featured photographers under 35 years of age, from all across the world. The career-building platform celebrates the photographic medium and the ways in which avant-garde techniques develop and manifest themselves. The exhibition opens this weekend at the Amsterdam gallery before travelling internationally. Until 12 November.
Pictured: In Fourth Person, by Martin Errichiello and Filippo Menichetti. © The artists
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Time stamp
31 August
Driven by his interest in the ephemeral nature of a photograph, and a fascination with how to extend it, Netherlands-born, Brooklyn-based Ari Marcopoulos opens his second solo show at Galerie Frank Elbaz later this week. The show is titled ‘Machine’ after an 8-channel video contraption created by the artist. Focusing on the people that feature in his images from his many walks of life, skaters, rap gods, athletes, among many, Marcopoulos works with books, zines and films to extend the life of these images. Alongside his machine, the artist will paper the walls with imagery from his archive, looking at work old and new as he draws on patterns that have evolved over time within his practice. Until 14 October.
Pictured: Palm, Brooklyn, by Ari Marcopoulos, 2016
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Hazard signs
30 August
Concerned with the growing effects of pollution in China as a result of improper disposal of industrial waste, photojournalist Lu Guang’s show ‘Development and Pollution’ opens this weekend as part of Visa Pour L’Image festival in Perpignan. Through the exhibition, Guang hopes to focus global attention on the dangerous, and dramatically escalating levels of untreated wastewater pouring into the rivers and seas of his homeland. The eerie images make use of the photographer's unconventional documentary style, and shine a (hazy) light on a highly damaged reality. Until 17 September.
Pictured: Men at work in the dust. Energy-intensive, polluting industry has been transferred from the east to the central and western regions. Wuhai, Inner Mongolia, by Lu Guang, 2006. © the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Anniversary pressing
29 August
The Verve – genre-defining indie band, headline stealers and Wigan-natives – rose to international acclaim with the release of their third album Urban Hymns. On the 20th anniversary of this seminal work, British documentary photographer Chris Floyd has released a monograph in the band’s name, celebrating the time he shared with Richard Ashcroft, Nick McCabe, Simon Jones, Peter Salisbury and Simon Tong on the road. Floyd is known for his ability to intimately capture his subject’s personality – something The Verve members were in no short supply of. Including previously unseen work, this is one nostalgia-filled collectors item not to miss.
Pictured: The Verve: Photographs by Chris Floyd, by Chris Floyd, 2017. Published by Reel Art Press
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Sneak peak
25 August
Swedish photographer Jacob Felländer today opens his exhibition ‘The Mountain Theory’ at CFHill in Stockholm. Ten mountain-peak prints are accompanied by text and titles taken from recording artist Anna Ternheim's upcoming album. The collaboration brings out the lyrical quality of the photographs, which are saturated in otherworldly sunlight and whirling mist. The photographs act as portraits of the peaks, imbuing each with distinct personalities. Until 15 September.
Pictured: Silver Bracelet, Ama Dablam, Himalaya, by Jacob Felländer, 2016
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Woman’s world
24 August
The history of art is punctuated with images of women as seen by men. A new exhibition at Staley-Wise Gallery in New York challenges this by exhibiting pictures of women, taken only by female photographers. In collaboration with Magnum Photos, ‘Women Seeing Women’ focusses on fashion and documentary work, in dialogue with editorial photography. A wide range of themes on display, including war, religion and style, are all interlinked by the female experience. Until 30 September.
Pictured: Traditional Indian Dance Mask, Nicaragua, by Susan Meiselas, 1978. © The artist and Magnum Photos
Writer: Hannah Tointon
New wave
23 August
Tomorrow, Cape Town’s Goodman Gallery opens ‘The Silences Between’, a group show taking its title from a 1982 Māori poetry book of the same name, in which author Keri Hulme prompts the question: ‘What is recorded in the writing of history and what is left out?’. Featuring the work of artists from all over the world, the exhibition thoughtfully considers what we’ve missed in recorded visual history. The cross-discipline work on display analyses this long and complex narrative, through moments of the mundane everyday. Until 23 September.
Pictured: Every piece of dust on Freud’s couch, by Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin, 2015
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Social spectator
22 August
Later this week, Zürich’s Bildhalle Gallery opens ‘Cosmopolitan’ – the first solo show of René Burri’s work since his death in 2014, marking the gallery’s season opening. With close attention from Burri’s family, a selection of the artist’s work will be displayed, shining a light on his ability to capture an empathetic and engaged perspective of the world. The work presents Burri as an exceptionally well traveled artist, one of Switzerland’s most revered photographers and a member of Magnum since 1959. Each image is both compositionally flawless and unmistakably human. Until 21 October.
Pictured: Building by Luis Barragán, Mexico City, by René Burri, 1976. © The artist and Magnum Photos
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Turning the page
21 August
Designer, editor and collector Manfred Heiting has joined forces with Japanese historian Kaneko Ryuichi on a mammoth new tome, launching in America later this week. The Japanese Photobook, 1912-1990 is a comprehensive investigation into the development of photobooks in Japan, filled with 3500 striking colour illustrations from over 400 publications. In the first English-language book of its kind, Heitling considers the influence of Western art movements (including Pictorialism and Bauhaus) on the Japanese photobook tradition.
Pictured: from The Japanese Photobook, 1912-1990, by Manfred Heiting. Published by Steidl
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Face value
18 August
Editta Sherman made a career for herself in photography, at a time when the medium was an entirely male-dominated field. As the daughter of a professional photographer, Sherman had always maintained image-making as a hobby – however, when her husband took leave of his job due to illness she took on the role entrepreneurially. Today, Sherman is known for her touching, intimate portraits of renowned figures, as well as her nickname – The Duchess of Carnegie Hall. Coined by her contemporary Bill Cunningham, Sherman’s moniker forms the title of a new exhibition of her portraits at the New York Historical Society Museum, which opens today. Until 15 October.
Pictured: June Carter Cash, by Editta Sherman, undated. Courtesy of New-York Historical Society, gift of Melisande Sherman
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Forward thinking
17 August
‘Sarah Charlesworth explored and questioned contemporary life through visual imagery, and her approach is particularly relevant in understanding our current image-oriented culture,’ says Michael Govan, CEO of LACMA – where a major surgery of Charlesworth’s work opens tomorrow. Aligned closely with the 1980s Pictures Generation (along with Sherrie Levine, Richard Prince, and Laurie Simmons), Charlesworth is known of her profound understanding of how life is mediated and governed by pictures, specifically through magazines, television, and film. As if foreshadowing the photo-saturated landscape of today – through collage, filters, and highly stylised arrangements – Charlesworth's earliest pictures could have been taken yesterday. Until 26 November.
Writer: Elly Parsons
Backwards glance
16 August
From Friday, The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago launches its mammoth, three-part exhibition ‘We Are Here’, ringing in the Museum's 50th year in a refreshing way. Eschewing the traditional ‘from the archives’ anniversary exhibition format, the development of contemporary art is narrated through three individual shows: ‘I Am You’, ‘You Are Here’, ‘We Are Everywhere’. Each puts a different spin on the relationship between artist and viewer, tracing how this dialogue has evolved over the museum’s half-century history. These independently curated yet interrelated ‘chapters’ will run in staggered tandem until 28 January 2018.
Pictured: Chicago Board of Trade II, by Andreas Gursky, 1999. © The artist. Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery, New York. Photography: Nathan Keay. © MCA Chicago
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Art of change
15 August
Founded in 1930, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York has lived through a politically turbulent century, accumulating a vast collection of over 22,000 works along the way. A new exhibition - ‘An Incomplete History of Protest’ – offers a cross-section of these archival works, alongside contemporary offerings, as the Musuem launches an investigation into the way artists continue to tackle socio-political issues. Acknowledging activism taking place both in the streets and online, the exhibition seeks to expand our knowledge of how artists choose to express their plight.
Pictured: Black Mass, by Annette Lemieux, 1991. © The artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon and Holly Patrick
Artistic revolution
14 August
The Chinese Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s and early 70s was one of the greatest influences of modern art in China. Works documenting this turbulent period in China’s socio-political history will go on show at Staatliche Museen in Berlin later this week, as part of the exhibition ‘Working On History’. Important historical pieces will be displayed comparatively with the work of contemporary Chinese artists – exploring the cultural shift in artworks recording this pivotal time. Photographic and film mediums are an integral part of this show, exploring the translation of political propaganda into a contemporary visual language. Until 7 January.
Pictured: Red by Mo Yi, 1985. © The artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Celebration time
11 August
London-based artist Sonya Dyer curates the exhibition ‘50 Years Leeds West Indian Carnival’, which is opening tomorrow at The Tetley in Leeds. Through photography, video, audio and costume the exhibition celebrates the history of the UK’s first authentic West Indian carnivalm which featured costume, music and masquerade procession. Vibrant colours, elaborate costumes and intimate moments of camaraderie have been documented and will be shared through this show. Community is an integral part of the celebrations and as such, the exhibition features mementos and artifacts donated by the public. Until 29 October.
Pictured: Queen of Carnival Kali Wilkes by Max Farrar, 1994. Courtesy of the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Behind the scenes
10 August
Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró are among history’s most celebrated artists, iconic images of them resonate in our minds. Tomorrow, London’s Zebra One Gallery launches an exhibition of previously unseen photographs of these internationally renowned creators. Alongside the candid and intimate images are vintage press photographs of the likes of Marc Chagall, Bernard Buffet, Fernand Leger – giving a new lease of life to many well-known faces. Until end of September.
Pictured: A legend in his lifetime by Edward Quinn, 1968. Courtesy of Zebra One Gallery
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Mapped out
9 August
American artist Andrea Zittel challenges notions of authorship within art through her installation of Wall Sprawl #4 at the Nevada Museum of Art. The image itself has been sourced from an aerial image database, prior to the accessibility of platforms such as Google Maps. Using this appropriated imagery, Zittel repeats elements and creates a fictitious aerial vista that is based on a military landscape and exposes potentially classified data to the public eye. Displayed as wallpaper in the gallery’s reception, Zittel transforms an intensely conceptual work into mere decoration.
Pictured: Wall Sprawl #4 by Andrea Zittel, 2011/2014. © The artist. Courtesy of Regen Projects, Los Angeles
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Freedom fighters
8 August
Arkansas Art Centre is memorialising 60 years since the integration of Little Rock High School in America with exhibition ‘Will Counts: The Central High School Photographs’. In his capacity as a local press photographer, Counts documented the desegregation of Little Rock High School over two years as nine African American students (known as the Little Rock Nine) attempted, and eventually succeeded, to attend the school. Alongside 38 of Counts' iconic black and white prints, an interactive timeline will be displayed to contextualise the work on display. Until 22 October.
Pictured: taken on the morning of 4 September 1957, one member of the Little Rock Nine, Elizabeth Eckford, didn’t receive the message that all nine students were to meet and go to the school together. Arkansas National guard troops were waiting to turn her away. She walked down Park Street, followed by a jeering crowd of integration resisters, to this bus stop on 16th Street. Courtesy of the artist and Arkansas Arts Centre Foundation Collection
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Across the Arafura
7 August
Later this week the Monash Gallery of Art in Victoria opens a group show – ‘Australians in PNG’ – that highlights the work of three Australian artists who document the landscapes, people and customs of Papua New Guinea, Australia’s closest neighbour. The trio of new series from conceptual video artist Eric Bridgeman, photojournalist Stephen Dupont and new media artist Sonia Payes acknowledge the complex connections between the two territories. These radically different perspectives offer a well-rounded account, as well as serving to highlight the ongoing importance of Papua New Guinea as a subject in the Australian photographic canon. Until 8 October.
Pictured: Sing-Sing performer carrying wooden gun to represent Australian colonial ‘Patrol Officer’, Hagen show, Western Highlands, by Stephen Dupont, 2011. Courtesy of the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Slide show
4 August
German artist Claudia Sohrens is fascinated by the possibilities of historical photographic archives. Embodying this, her ‘Red Spotted Purple’ exhibition features images by Russian photographer Roman Vishniac whose mounted scientific prints she discovered during her residency at the International Centre of Photography. Drawn to the poetic captions Vishniac gave his microscopic photographs, Sohrens asks us to consider the physical traces of the archive as well as broader questions about originality and authorship. Until 27 October.
Pictured: Chaos Chaos Amoeba, by Roman Vishniac, circa 1951. © Mara Vishniac Kohn
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Under the microscope
3 August
‘Growing up queer, I searched for a history that spoke to me – included me,’ says American artist Kris Sanford. Since her youth, she has longed for a history that she can identify with, and relate to. Her new series ‘Through the Lens of Desire’ opened this week at Portland’s Blue Sky Gallery, and uses found imagery (dating from 1920-50) to envision an imaginary, openly queer American past. The unconventional circular images reflect the act of looking through a microscope and reinforce the idea of closely inspecting these snapshots; exploring the connotations of closeness, embracing and handholding. The exhibition forms part of the gallery’s six-part series – ‘Embodied’ – highlighting progressive, experimental photography. Until 3 September.
Pictured: Box Camera, by Kris Sanford, 2009-2017. Courtesy of Blue Sky Gallery
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Pot luck
2 August
American photographic and video artist Rose Marie Cromwell is known for her progressive work exploring the relationship between the political and the spiritual. Tomorrow, Antítesis Gallery in Panama City opens ‘La Charada’ – an exhibition of 18 photographs by Cromwell, and a site-specific installation reflecting the varied experiences of Havana. The exhibition takes its title from the Cuban tradition of charada – a sort of inventory of everyday objects that Cubans refer to in order to select their numbers for the under-the-radar lottery, imbuing the items a sense of aura, or luck. This practice is evocative of the artist’s photographic style in which she captures everyday moments to immortalise them with a sense of monumentality. Until 20 August.
Pictured: Cleansing, by Rose Marie Cromwell, 2010-2016. Courtesy of the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Child’s play
1 August
Canadian artist Jeff Wall’s 2008 photograph Playground Structure is the inspiration behind a group show of the same name opening today at the Blain Southern Gallery in London. The artist’s photograph is symbolic of play but is also evocative of structural aesthetics such as those seen in constructivism. Abstract paintings exploring similar themes and grid structures are on display in the context of Wall’s well-known image, also on show. Formal elements of line and colour are thoughtfully considered throughout this forward-thinking mixed media show. Until 16 September.
Pictured: Playground Structure, by Jeff Wall, 2008. © the artist. Courtesy of White Cube
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Developing romance
31 July
As part of Edinburgh Art Festival, Talbot Rice Gallery has opened the exhibition ‘Sex Symbols in Sandwich Signs’, featuring work by British film director Stephen Sutcliffe. The obscure title draws inspiration from a critical review of David Storey’s novel Radcliffe which has in turn influenced Sutcliffe’s work on show. In particular, one of two new video works draws parallels between Radcliffe's storyline and the unrequited fixations of British filmmaker, Lindsay Anderson, towards actor Richard Harris. Until 30 September.
Pictured: Lindsay Anderson, 1965. Courtesy of Lindsay Anderson Archive, University of Stirling
Green fingers
27 July
A major new group exhibition opens at the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh this weekend – ‘Plant Scenery of the World’ is an ephemeral mixed media exhibition featuring painting, video, and architectural drawings alongside photographic works. The curation reflects the microclimates of the garden’s glasshouses, which celebrate their 50th anniversary this summer. The visceral exhibition investigates the relationship between a love for tropical plants and changing attitudes towards collection, exploration and study – contextualised by archival material and the contemporary work on display. Until 29 October.
Pictured: Urth (production still), by Ben Rivers, 2016. Courtesy of the artist and Kate MacGarry, London
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Land of the brave
26 July
Opening today at the Brooklyn Museum and online is ‘The Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America’ organised by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), in collaboration with Google. Activist, lawyer and MacArthur Foundation Grant winner Bryan Stevenson heads up the exhibition, which focuses on the groundbreaking work that EJI have conducted on the topic of racial injustices in America. The politically charged showcase is contextualised by powerful video and photography works that intimately document the realities of racism, both institutional and local. Until 3 September.
Pictured: Thurgood in the House of Chaos, by Rashid Johnson, 2009. © the artist. Courtesy of Brooklyn Museum
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Self exploration
25 July
American visual artist Shikeith is well known for his conceptual work exploring what it means to be a black man in the modern world. A new exhibition ‘This Was His Body/His Body Finally His’ is on show from later this week at Mak Gallery in London. The second installment of the artist’s ‘Dreamscapes’ series focuses on Shikeith’s ongoing mission to challenge the typical depictions and expectations of young black youth. This is successfully achieved through his intimate self portraiture which shows the artist’s vulnerability and isolation. This contemplative series invites the viewer to think – and challenge – conventional stereotypes. Until 16 September.
Pictured: Neuroses In Blossom, by Shikeith, 2015. Courtesy of the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Street smarts
24 July
The Photographic Angle is a charitable organisation working to disseminate high quality photographic artwork around Britain, educating the British public about photography along the way. Later this week, the charity are using Greenwood House in Berkshire as a base for its group exhibition ‘Streetscapes’. In the show, a broad selection of conceptual photographs depict street scenes from cities around the world. Despite the vastly different locations, each photographer is unified by their ability to document the realities of modern life. Unadulterated by any staging techniques, these photographs capture fleeting moments of raw human nature, unfolding one step at a time. Until 30 July.
Pictured: Silhouettes of Oslo 13, by Henning S Pettersen, 2015. Courtesy of The Photographic Angle
Writer: Hannah Tointon
The future game
21 July
Last night, the Australian Centre of Photography launched group show ‘Synthetic’ exploring the ambiguous boundary between fiction and reality through the photographic and video work of seven artists. Sc-fi films and cybernetics are among the inspirations behind this futuristic selection of work. Through images that blend the familiar and the uncanny, viewers are invited to think about our collective future and the role of humanity within it. Until 26 August.
Pictured: Archives, by David Greenhalgh, 2015. © The artist. Courtesy of the Australian Centre of Photography
Writer: Hannah Tointon
New leaf
20 July
British photographer John Spinks launches monograph ‘The New Village’ at the Photographers’ Gallery in London this evening. Spinks’ large format colour photography explores the pastoral landscapes of the village where he spent his youth and the characters who live there. Investigating the relationship between memory and place, the tome generously offers 15 years of highly personal narrative. Married with text by writer David Chandler, this is a fascinating lens into semi-rural Britain.
Pictured: The New Village, by John Spinks, 2017. © the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
In motion
19 July
Iconic British photographer Eadweard Muybridge is best known for his visual investigations into the way humans and animals operate their form whilst in movement. Currently on display at Beetles and Huxley in London are 65 cellotypes from his seminal 1887 series ‘Animal Locomotion’. Each plate on display shows the evolution of a particular movement captured through Muybridge’s innovative use of a line of cameras that would trigger sequentially. The artist’s documentation of movement is some of the earliest photography in the world. Until 2 September.
Pictured: Animal Locomotion: Plate 772 (Ostrich Running) by Eadweard Muybridge, 1887. © The artist. Image courtesy of Beetles+Huxley
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Modern master
18 July
The sculptural masterpieces of Renaissance artist Auguste Rodin are traditionally enjoyed on a large scale and in three dimensions, not as printed, tightly cropped images as they are in Thomas Lohr’s monograph Rodin – a collaboration between the German photographer and Swiss creative director Daniel Baer. The pairing’s second photobook, self-published, and exclusively available at Claire de Rouen Books, highlights the delicacy of Rodin’s hand on the hard white stone and his skill in mastering the formal qualities of the medium. Through highlighting refined elements of Rodin’s work, Lohr invites the viewer to contemplate the skill and passion that Rodin chiseled into his work.
Pictured: Le Baiser, by Thomas Lohr, 2017
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Jurisdiction
17 July
Dutch visual artist Robert Glas’ exhibition ‘Before the Law’ opens later this week at Foam 3h in Amsterdam, the gallery’s project space devoted to young talent. The exhibition showcases short films and photographic work from Glas’ ongoing research-led work investigating immigration and technologies used to monitor the movement of people across territories. The series on display – ‘Voor Vrij Nederland’ – juxtaposes the clinical feel of the detention centers with the intensely emotional nature of the subject matter. Throughout, Glas explores the relationship between the stoic law and those so deeply affected by it. Until 10 September.
Pictured: Slechte Vingers, by Robert Glas, 2010/2015. © the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Best of British
14 July
British artist Rose Finn-Kelcey, who passed away in 2014, is revered for her socio-politically engaged work, in an array of media including performance, sculpture and photography. Finn-Kelcey’s highly experimental style is captured in ‘Life, Belief and Beyond’, the first posthumous exhibition of her work, on display from tomorrow at Modern Art Oxford. The show collates photography spanning her near 50-year career. Finn-Kelcey was a highly inventive artist with her formative installation work influencing Young British Artists of the 1990s, her work remains an inspiration to a new generation of British artists today. Until 15 October.
Pictured: The Magpie's Box, by Rose Finn-Kelcey, 1977. Courtesy of the Estate of Rose Finn-Kelcey
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Regeneration of self
13 July
South African activist Zanele Muholi makes powerful political statements through her photographic work. The 2016 ICP Affinity Award winner’s series ‘Somnyama Ngonyama: Hail the Dark Lioness’ is on show from today at Autograph ABP in London. Over 60 self portraits make up this politically charged and conceptual work. Fraught with symbolism, the series challenges us to think more deeply about racial and sexual stereotypes. The exhibition follows tropes set by Muholi’s ongoing mission to reclaim her blackness and rewrite black, queer and trans history. Until 28 October.
Pictured: Julile I, Parktown, Johannesburg by Zanele Muholi, 2016. © The artist. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town/Johannesburg and Yancey Richardson, New York
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Eye of the beholder
12 July
‘Re:collection’ is the latest exhibition to grace the galleries of The Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago. Creating a trail through the history of photography, the exhibition is divided into thematic installations each which begins with a cameraless photograph. Putting into question our perception of imagery, the exhibition celebrates the radical art of photography and its ability to re-capture its subject in a multitude of ways. The forensic photography of Angela Strassheim exemplifies this idea, documenting traces of DNA where familial homicides have happened, she represents the camera as a tool to translate even the most discrete of scenes. Until 1 October.
Pictured: Evidence No. 2, by Angela Strassheim, 2009
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Who runs the world?
12 June
American interdisciplinary artist Dell Hamilton’s work features in ‘Stand Up!’ at Gallery Kayafas in Boston, opening this week. The show shines a light on over 50 female artists, and their work. The gallery is keen to highlight that their definition of ‘female’ includes ‘anyone who identifies as cisgender, genderqueer, trans women, femmes, and non-binary people of all cultures and experience’. The diversity within the group aims to highlight the disparity of female practitioners in many artistic community, as well as examining relationships between power and privilege. Until 13 July.
Pictured: Emulsions in Departure #14,
by Dell Hamilton, 2016. Courtesy of Gallery Kayafas
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Cut and paste
10 July
American born, London-based based artist Anthony Gerace has released his first monograph – ‘And Another Thing’ – with Aint-Bad Publishing. Gerace's keen eye is matched with a talent for curation with his pleasing collage and astute sequencing. The images he has collated rework seven years of his own vibrant material. Through this timeline, readers are invited to explore themes of memory. All the while, Gerace leads us on a journey, exploring the fragility of the book as printed matter.
Writer: Hannah Tointon
In the ring
7 July
The eighth of October 1792 marked the final day of German contemporary art show Documenta, whereby sculptor Joseph Beuys staged a boxing match with Kassel art student, Abraham David Christian. Each stood for an opposing political systems – Beuys for ‘direct democracy’ and Christian for ‘representative government’. The gloves worn by Beuys became part of a sculptural installation known as Boxkampf für die direkte Demokratie. Today, German cinematographer, Hans Albrecht Lusznat, documents this conceptual masterpiece in order to contextualise Beuys’ gloves, which are now on show at Waddington Custot, London. The series of photographs capture the politically charged boxing match illustrating the tension of the battle and sweetness of Beuys’ victory. Until 11 August.
Pictured: 27 Boxkampf für die direkte Demokratie' at documenta V by Joseph Beuys, 1972. Copyright Hans Albrecht Lusznat, 2017. Courtesy of Waddington Custot
Writer: Hannah Tointon
A new thread
6 July
Images of women hold a central place in contemporary digital culture today, and discussions surrounding the subjective female experience are rooted in the body – and in objectification. In a new photobook of digitally constructed images, London Southbank undergraduate Hannah Tointon, contrasts intimate female photography with the craft of weaving, a skill traditionally associated with women. Through digitalisation, Tointon interlaces a contemporary practice with the female form, creating an empowering series of images. The book itself is bound in rouge linen, as opposed to a formally published tome - showing the fragility of her handmade work. Tointon’s series, To My Darling, is a refreshing act, weaving the past into the present.
Pictured: Untitled, by Hannah Tointon, 2017
Writer: Katie Meston
Profession obsession
5 July
Unlike many photographers, Canadian conceptual artist Rodney Graham is the subject of his own work. Behind the radiant façade of a series of lightboxes, Graham exposes his personal biography to the visitors of the Museum Frieder Burder. Comparable to a metaphor of a theatre stage, Graham’s work touches on the pressures of acting to a role, but behind closed curtains, melancholy often applies. Dating from 2000 to the present, the works give an impression of a burdened time traveller. Graham moves in various disguises through the mistakes and confusion of modern culture, thereby slipping into the role of producers, spectators and intermediaries. His Media Studies 77, (pictured) satirises media research and academia in the post-factual world we live in today. Until 26 November.
Pictured: Media Studies 77, by Rodney Graham, 2016. Courtesy Hauser & Wirth and the artist. Ⓒ Rodney Graham, 2017
Writer: Katie Meston
Bar fly
4 June
French-born, Berlin-based photographer Maxime Ballesteros grew up in a small town near Lyon. But his small town upbringing does not reflect the content of his first monograph Les Absents published by Hatje Cantz in cooperation with Sang Bleu. Scenes of debauched Berlin nightlife fill the 280 pages of his new publication. The visual journey follows sordid Berlin nights as Ballesteros immerses himself in the social lives of his subjects. Ballesteros’ heavily saturated images are a window into a wild and exclusive side of Berlin.
Pictured: The Dreamhouse Experience, Berlin, from Les Absents by Maxime Ballesteros, 2013. Courtesy of Hatje Cantze
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Head above water
3 July
Internationally recognised photographer Gideon Mendel is well known for his socially charged projects. Most recently, the affects of flooding in different cultures and geographies have been Mendel’s focus – he has documented floods in 13 different countries since 2007. The resulting work Drowning World will be exhibited from today at the Rencontres d’Arles festival in France. Mendel’s distinctive, intimate style of portraiture is embodied by Submerged Portraits, one of the four series exhibited. These hard-hitting studies show the vulnerability and defiance of those affected by natural disaster. Until 24 September.
Pictured: Francisca Chagas dos Santos, Taquari District, Rio Branco, Brazil, March 2015, from the series Submerged Portraits by Gideon Mendele, 2015. Courtesy of the artist
Writer: Hannah Tointon
Memory lane
30 June
When he was nine, Peter Watkins’ mother took her own life by walking into the North Sea at Zandvoort. Twenty years later, Watkins began his enduring project on memory and bereavement, titled The Unforgetting, now on show at Webber Represents. Watkins’ theme denotes a gathering of proof, fragments and artifacts from his interrupted life. One of the more peculiar pieces includes an axe embedded in a log, and a portrait of his grandfather, both cast in depersonalised monochrome. Wood appears frequently throughout the project, a nod to Watkins’ Germanic roots and the folklore behind the forest that was a part of his mother’s youth. Although death holds a ghostly presence throughout, Watkins’ interpretation of how the lost live on is something we all can resonate with. Until 31 July.
Pictured: Opa and Axe, by Peter Watkins, 2012
Writer: Katie Meston