It may be called Photo London, but that’s really only a snapshot of what this exhibition’s all about.
It’s the largest photography festival in the UK, and for the four day stretch over the 11th-14th May, it’s returning to fill Somerset House’s courtyard with a marquee housing hundreds upon hundreds of the world’s most inspiring stills for you to peruse.
And let’s just be clear, this thing is huge. Even during the logistical nightmare that was the pandemic, they managed to corral 88 different galleries from 15 different countries to showcase their finest works in one spot. For their 8th year, the collection will be their most international yet, with galleries from Japan, Mexico, Norway, Iran and others exhibiting here for the first time.
Joe Webb, Long Distance, 2019 , © Joe Webb, courtesy of Open Doors Gallery
They’ll also be focusing in (wheeey) with a few special exhibitions, too. You’ll be able to view works from emerging galleries that are less than seven years old in the Discovery Section, see a solo exhibition by this year’s Master of Photography Martin Parr (which will unveil a project that’s been 50 years in the making), check out two award exhibitions for young photographers, and view a special display of work by 19 women photographers, supplied by the Hyman Collection at the newly opened Centre for British Photography in Mayfair.
Martin Parr, Whitchurch Country Show, Dorset, England, 2022. © Martin Parr Magnum Photos
As with last year, Photo London 2023 will also host a programme of free workshops and talks, daily tours to give you the low-down on the exhibitions’ highlights, and book signings with prominent photographers. The full programme will be announced shortly…
…but you can probably picture it now.
NOTE: Photo London runs from 11th-14th May 2023 at Somerset House. Tickets start at £32 for a day pass, or £52 for the weekend. Talks and workshops are free but ticketed separately. You can find out more, and book, HERE.
Photo London | Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA
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