Photo London opened at 11 o’clock this morning. It’s the moment of truth that the photo world has been waiting for. They’ve come, they’re all here now. After two years of struggles, will the festival find success this year? And is there room for another major festival outside of Paris Photo, AIPAD, Art Basel and Paris Photo LA? For Michael Benson and Fariba Farshad, known to the photo world as the team behind the Prix Pictet at Arles for the past eight years, the answer is “Yes”.
Photo London has been their “baby” for the past two and a half years. “We’ve activated our network and contacted every big gallery to try to get them here. It’s inconceivable that a city like London, whose history is so intimately related to photography, historically, institutionally, intellectually and financially (thanks to Sotheby’s and Christie’s), doesn’t have its own fair. London possesses the unique opportunity to give rise to a new generation of collectors. That’s why we’ve added to the fair a cycle of lectures on the art of photography.”
With a budget of £1.4 million, Photo London has two important partners: Maja Hoffman of the Luma Foundation, and The Financial Times. The Luma Foundation has provided support for four exhibitions, including the incredible one at the Victoria and Albert Museum, while The Financial Times has helped promote the fair around the world. Today we’re presenting you with a comprehensive overview of Photo London and the events surrounding it.
FAIR
Photo London
21 – 24 May, 2015
Somerset House
Strand
London WC2R 1LA
United Kingdom
[email protected]
http://photolondon.org
