From Gare du Nord we could already feel the success. A third of the Eurostar passengers at 9:10 that Wednesday were photo world professionals. The atmosphere was friendly, fun and warm, and it went on like that for the next four days. And with that enthusiasm came financial success right from the beginning. Photo London is a success: historically, intellectually and financially. London has all the right ingredients, and the the English want a festival like Paris Photo and AIPAD. Of course, it wasn’t perfect. Somerset House was a great setting but it’s easy to get lost and the signs were confusing. Also, the galleries on the ground floor first floor received an exquisite welcome while the galleries on the first and second basement floors were at an obvious disadvantage. Another ambiguity: Fariba Farshad and Michael Benson, Arles stalwarts, wanted a piece of fair at their festival. There were readings, conferences, signings and awards, but a fair isn’t a festival. At fairs, the gallerist should be the focus.
See you next year!
All photographs by Magnus Arrevad and Michael Alberry
Magnus Arrevad
Excited by all he’d heard in the weeks leading up to Photo London, Magnus Arrevad brought a camera along…
Magnus Arrevad believes that capturing the life and energy of a subject or event, more even than the visual ‘fact’ of it (or him or her), is the triumph of great documentary photography. He has set this as the artistic challenge of all his work. Gallerist Michael Diemar describes him as ‘showing the parties I wished I’d attended… even though I was at the event!’ Arrevad will shortly be releasing his first major photographic series, Boy Story, a 5 year, multiple continent exploration of the world of male performance, a series that has already received coverage in the New York Times, Vice, Buzzfeed and the Huffington Post.
http://www.magnusarrevad.com
Michael Alberry
British photographer Michael Alberry graduated from University of South Wales Newport in 2014. In 2014 he was selected as one of Magnum Photos’ best ’30 under 30’ photographers. Michael’s personal work explores community dynamics, emphasising his ideas on themes of ritual and spirituality in contemporary society. His ongoing series A Time to Dance, depicts the emergence of media and technology in the worship of the UK’s growing Pentecostal denomination. Michael works as a freelance photographer covering events and installations for Candlestar, Photo London, and The LUMA Foundation.
http://www.michaelalberry.com
