London’s Big Photography Week Is in Focus
Ever the picturesque city, London’s photography chops are brought into sharp focus this week as three major photography fairs open across the city.
They say good things come in threes, which definitely applies to photography events in London this week. Photo London (15 - 18 May), Peckham 24 (16 - 25 May), and Offprint Photo Fair (16 - 18 May) are bringing exhibitions, book fairs, talks and workshops to the capital as part of their respective programmes.
One of the UK's most anticipated annual photography events, Photo London takes over Somerset House, showcasing internationally renowned photographers including fashion photographer Jamie Hawkesworth, visual artist Joy Gregory and fine art documentarian Alys Tomlinson. Galleries from around the world participate in the line-up, including Seoul's Gallery Yeh to Istanbul's Kairos Gallery.
Over in south-east London, Peckham 24 conversely focuses on more boundary-pushing, contemporary photography. The festival offers a vital platform for emerging artists to present and discuss new work. Exhibitions include works by Beirut-based Tanya Traboulsi, Palestinian visual artist Taysir Batniji and Indian portrait artist Spandita Malik.
Meanwhile, Offprint Photo Fair celebrates its tenth edition in the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, featuring hundreds of art books by forward-thinking, independent publishers, featuring book signings, rare zines, special editions and exclusive items.
Whether you’re a photography buff or kindling a newfound hobby, there’s plenty on to see the world across different lenses. Check our picks below:
London Lives, Photo London (14 - 18 May)
Curated by leading critic and author Francis Hodgson, this exhibition is at once a love letter to London and a critique of it, showcasing the city’s complexities, contradictions, and relentless creative energy. The exhibition will include works from Nick Knight, Hannah Starkey and Ewen Spencer.
For more information, click here.
Gem Fletcher and Tami Aftab, Peckham 24 (17 May)
Podcaster, writer and curator Gem Fletcher speaks with British Pakistani photographer Tami Aftab about her photo cookbook, The Rice is on The Hob. They will discuss the poignant story behind Tami’s work: her father suffers from short term memory loss but has always been able to recollect dishes from his childhood in Pakistan. Gathering these recipes became a coping mechanism that strengthened their relationship. The Rice is on the Hob is co-authored a photography-meets-recipe book, in which Aftab’s photographs sit alongside her father’s recipes.
For more information, click here.
Beyond The Meal: Photography, Food, Community, Peckham 24 (24 May)
This panel discussion delves into the dynamic intersections of community, food, and culture, bringing together artists who use their creative practices as tools for social connection, cultural reflection, and resistance.
For more information, click here.
Pleasure Gardens: Blackouts and the Logic of Crisis in Kashmir, Offprint Photo Fair (18 May)
An important and timely conversation between writers Izabella Scott and Taushif Kara on Pleasure Gardens. This meticulously researched two-part project By Scott and Skye Arundhati Thomas investigates the military occupation, land appropriation, and communication blackouts in Kashmir, a region whose heavily militarised borders have frequently been a site of conflict between India and Pakistan.
For more information, click here.
It's Freezing in LA! Shorelines and Seamlines (with It’s Freezing in LA!), Offprint Photo Fair (18 May)
The team behind climate change magazine It’s Freezing in LA! discuss research project, 'Shorelines and Seamlines', which aims to open up global conversations around themes of ocean passage, water-based knowledge systems, and cultural recollection.
For more information, click here.
Portraits of London: A Love Story, Peckham 24 (18 May)
Documentary photographer Adama Jalloh discusses her work with renown portrait photographer, Eileen Perrier. Together they explore how race, identity and culture intersect with the ever-changing landscape of London, delving into Jalloh's own experiences as a Black woman growing up in the city and how that shapes her work.
For more information, click here.
