Subterms
The closure of the Bourne & Shepherd studio in Kolkata brings to an end the history of the oldest photographic business in India and perhaps in the world. The firm of Shepherd and Robertson was established in Agra in 1862 and the following year, in Simla, the hill-station which would soon become the British summer […] More
‘I believe in the future resolution’, Andre Breton wrote in 1924, of ‘dream and reality…into a kind of absolute reality, a surreality.’ His declaration helped to inspire a century’s worth of artistic expeditions into the subconscious, though we are no closer today to achieving the ‘resolution’ he so confidently foresaw. Photography, which is often regarded […] More
There are some very interesting photography exhibitions in New York’s private galleries this month. Here are five you should get to before they close – and don’t forget ‘Dream States’, a wide-ranging display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (reviewed here). ‘Mark Cohen: Closer’Danziger Gallery (until 11 June) A native of Wilkes-Barre, a rural town […] More
‘It’s showtime!’ said one exhibitor to his neighbour, as he broke off mid-conversation to attend to his own stand. The preview of the second edition of Photo London suggests that the fair is still defining itself – and the sense of expectation (and a sense of not quite knowing what to expect) on the part […] More
It’s every historian’s dream to track down an untouched archive. That is exactly what Kieron Connell – a researcher at the University of Birmingham – experienced in 2014 when, after months of searching, he received an email from a photographer: ‘I would love it if you could take over the collection of all my images […] More
Melanie Vandenbrouck visits some of the most interesting and pertinent photography exhibitions to kick off 2016 It is a sobering experience, to visit the Prix Pictet’s Disorder exhibition (inaugurated Paris 12 November–13 December 2015; now at Somerset House until 17 January before continuing its global tour). The prize was established in 2008 to showcase leading photographers’ contributions to debates […] More
At first, ‘The Power of Pictures: Early Soviet Photography, Early Soviet film’ at the Jewish Museum, seems to be telling us a story about politics and art that we already know. After a period of openness in the early days of the Soviet Union, during which artistic experimentation was encouraged, artistic production soon came to […] More
He’s known for his fashion and portrait photography, in particular the works that appeared in Vogue, but with a selection of 146 photographs the Smithsonian American Art Museum presents a far more complex picture of famous photographer Irving Penn. This exhibition – the first retrospective since Penn’s death in 2009 – strives to show the full […] More
