Sunday 26 February 2012

Fitzrovia further...


After the wonderful launch of the Fitzroy Place open-air gallery last week, I felt it only fair to share some of the wonderful photographs taken by the Co-Curator of 'The Fitzrovia Photography Prize' Eleanor Kelly. 




Here Julija Svetlova, one of the runners up poses with her double exposure image.


Richard Clemence with his image.


Julija Svetlova & the Winner of the Fitzrovia Photography Prize Julian Wakeling.


Don't stride past these...


Windows & water never looked so enticing...


It is wonderful to see these works so large 


They have taken on another life coming onto the street.


Please stop to read the information, there are some fascinating texts accompanying the photographs.


There are 40 images on display, so this blog is only a brief glimpse at what to expect.


Go & see for yourself


The public constantly stop to look & read the information about the photographer's & their work.


Taking his time...



These two are really photogenic !


Julian Wakeling & Julija Svetlova


Julian celebrates!


Relieved to have made our speeches & happy to hand over the limelight to the photographer's.



Mary & Natalja (both prior interns at the gallery) looking beautiful. 


Richard Clemence & yours truly


Urban winners


Polaroid badge

©All images are copyright of Eleanor Kelly


Thursday 23 February 2012

The Fitzrovia Photography Prize seen by many more...



It was only a few days ago when I saw the beginnings of the display going up...

Here is Camen & John who were putting it up & kindly posed for me. They loved the pictures too.

The work is now all up & looks fantastic.

Happy guests with their Polaroid ID badges taken upon entering having a fabulous time.

After a wonderful response to our competition 'The Fitzrovia Photography Prize' last year - where anyone could enter up to 3 images taken 'Within A Mile' of the gallery -  the finalists have a new opportunity for the public to see their work. The largest open air gallery in London, all 114 meters of it along Mortimer Street is currently displaying a wonderful selection of many of the finalists. 

Mary & Ami 

The launch at Black + Blue opposite the display on Tuesday was attended by many of the photographers & representatives of the Fitzroy Place development that will be built in the former Middlesex Hospital site. 


Finalists Fariha & Walter converse...

It looks wonderful all lit up at night & I encourage you to come & see it. 


 The half way point...

People stop to look & read the texts accompanying the artwork

Even people in the pictures came, spot the difference below!

Kate & Chris celebrate his newfound fame

These photographs are all taken by yours truly in the brief moments I could during the launch, much more to follow in my next blog taken by Co-curator of the prize Eleanor Kelly. 

The long view...

More frivolity at Black + Blue 

This is only the start of the story...


Finally I would like to thank everyone for coming, all the photographer's who entered & all the team from Fitzroy Place who made this possible.

Oscar speech over, till the weekend...



Monday 13 February 2012

Doing it for themselves...





Rooms to Let, Digital Prints, 2011 by Cecillia Bonilla. Copyright of Artist.


Just a short blog here folks - a tip off if you will - about an exhibition I went to the opening of on Saturday at The Parlour Gallery. (Hence the zany camera phone shots below) 

I encourage you to go to see it if you happen to be in NW5 this week. The show runs till 6pm Sunday 19th of February, hence my rush to tell you all about it.


Lovely when life imitates art...

fabricate is the first exhibition displayed by the curatorial collective Inter Alia & a fascinating one at that. I will not go into too much detail as I would rather you looked at their site & went to see it for yourself as it is a temptingly tactile exhibit, playing upon scale & interaction within a expertly curated space. 





Arty types 


I often hear complaints by artists/photographer's that they cannot 'get a gallery' as if this is something that should just happen to them without any legwork & budding curators unwilling to stick their necks out & create it for themselves. After all, name an art movement that did not begin with a group of like-minded people coming together to express their ideas about the world through creative endeavour & hard graft?




Some crazy angles

Here is a group of curators who have done just that, with a goal to discuss sensory (not just 'visual' as sound has a part to play in this exhibition) narrative through multiple components with 3 international artists; resulting in a thought-provoking, lingering dialogue all within one room. They not only achieve it but also give us food for thought without bells & whistles galore. All the works are not quite what they seem & need closer inspection to reveal themselves. I will leave you to look at the artist's works & draw your own conclusions....


The artists:
Cecilia Bonilla
SÅ‚awa Harasymowicz 
Eva Stenram 


The curators/ Inter Alia Collective :
Esther Carolin, Tarini Malik, Vijay Patel, Olivia Spooner & Jazmin Taylor