At The Photographers Gallery and (75)

A gallery with a nice vibe 

After the Exhibiting Photography class at City Lit I took a walk to The Photographer's Gallery - it was a little surprising to find that it was in area of town that I know quite well (pretty much adjacent to M&S near Oxford Circus).


As a result of voluntary work that I undertake I'm luck enough to be able to access this gallery (and many other museums) for free, having said that it's not outrageously expensive at £4 on the door (free before 12:00) or you can book at just £2.50 online.


As well as some nice photographs to see there's a really nice shop - if  you are a picture take or you've got a photographer in your life it's a great place to get gifts.


This time of year the big event at the gallery is the shortlist for the  Deutsche Börse prize - it's pretty difficult to decide which of the four photographers on show is the best but the one I really related to was the work of Sophie Calle (she focuses on losses of  her family members particularly her mother).

Interesting too was documentary work that took a long (in time and depth) look at a US housing project associated with the Rodney King uprising/riots (by Dana Lixenberg) and the near abstract pictures of .Awoiska Van Der Molen.

Part of Sophie's exhibited work

Work by Awoiska Van Der Molen 

Martin Parr was due at the gallery to sign books later in the day and the gallery had a buzzy feel.

There was an rather extensive display of work by Roger Mayne - great to see the letters he submitted and how he got work (like book covers) - most of the work was black and white edging towards 'social commentary'  in a side room there was a number of projected images (colour) which quite irritated me as a demonstration of how curation can fail - very difficult to consider the pictures and it felt like a form of torture.

Roger's pictures document an age now past

A way to get a 'gig'

And here's a book that I like the look of..

A book you could 'gift' perhaps

Now at £96 20p

Doors

So while I was in the area, and near where I worked when I was a young enthusiastic Broadcast engineer a number of front doors..

And I worked there too

Still rag trade connections