London has a rich cultural heritage which is borne out by the fact that it is home to a large number of museums, art galleries, theatres, historical monuments and music halls. The art scene is vibrant with a plethora of different types of galleries. An important element of these galleries are the photography galleries that present historic and contemporary photography exhibitions depicting a varied scenario ranging from Chelsea’s sleek style to Piccadilly’s hustle and bustle. The ten best photography galleries in London are the following.
The Little Black Gallery
Founded in 2008, this photography boutique with a room dedicated to prominent Irish photographer Bob Carlos Clarke, represents more than 25 leading photographers from across the globe and manages the estate of Bob Carlos Clarke while some of his photographs have been donated to National Portrait Gallery. It also exhibits the best of Alistair Taylor-Young, the English photographer and Terry O’Neill, the British photographer who changed his name to Terry Oshooting.
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Michael Hoppen Gallery
It is a gallery in Chelsea’s upmarket district that has been exhibiting all forms of photography for more than two decades. The works of famous contemporary photographers selected by Michael Hoppen are exhibited on the ground floor whereas the staircase to the second floor gallery is covered with reviews of past exhibitions. The staircase leads to a reading room that exhibits the works of photographers such as Peter Beard encircling a well-stocked reference library. At the gallery, exhibits cover works of a wide range of artists in the fields of fine art, wildlife, journalism, fashion and many other forms of photography. It also offers unusual prints of the works of some of the best photographers of the world.
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Snap Galleries
Having shifted from Birmingham to the Piccadilly Arcade just three years ago, this gallery is where music lovers and fans of cult figures of contemporary rock and pop music like to go. This popular gallery, though small, has presented many remarkable shows such as the one that exhibited unknown creations of Roger Kasparian who had photographed music stars such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks. Another exhibition showcased images of David Bowe taken by Masayoshi Sukita. The gallery offers Copyright Collection to collectors in reference to the ‘Jimi Hendrix by Donald Silverstein’ exhibition so that buyers can get unpublished prints with the copyright.
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Visitors to London desiring to stay in comfort in a strategic location close to most attractions should opt for the Shaftesbury London.
Beetles and Huxley
Exhibiting the works of many Britain’s leading photographers, including Patrick Lichfield, Terence Donovan, John Swannell, Cecil Beaton, Bill Brandt, Paul Kenny, Brian Duffy, Norman Parkinson and Edwin Smith, this gallery has been an early pioneer of photography exhibitions in London. The exhibited photographs represent the best fine art photography, while currently it features many international artists while presenting many exhibitions each year.
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The Photographers’ Gallery
Also described as a museum of photography, the Photographers’ Gallery has been exhibiting extensive and sophisticated photography over its five floors. Although there is no permanent collection, it offers diverse exhibitions such as the ‘Primrose: Early Colour Photography in Russia’ that covers a chronological collection of intricate Russian art from the 19th and 20th centuries and Lorenzo Vitturi’s ‘Dalston Anatomy’ that shows the versatility of photography through colour, shape, everyday objects and innovative installations. The gallery also features a bookshop, a café and a lively series of educational and social events.
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Getty Images Gallery
It is the largest independent photography gallery in London, associated with the Getty Images archive containing unmatched collections of historic and contemporary photography and photojournalism. More than 12 annual exhibitions and events in the fields of cultural, social and historical development of the world are held by the gallery. Some of the outstanding images are a stunning photo of Robert Falcon Scott in an ice cave on his Antarctic exhibition, and the infamous shot of Emmeline Pankhurst arrested outside Buckingham Palace. Many familiar personalities from music, film and popular culture have been honoured on its walls.
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Atlas Gallery
This boutique gallery in Marylebone specialises in 20th century photography, photojournalism and fashion photography. About six unique exhibitions take place each year including Jimmy Nelson’s stunning series ‘Before They Pass Away’ that featured photographs from the world’s remaining indigenous cultures. It specialises in vintage prints but it is now developing into contemporary photography.
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Daniel Blau Gallery
Featuring the rich photographic heritage of the 20th century, this gallery located in a corner of Hoxton Square also offers the chance to buy or admire seminal vintage prints. The previous exhibitions include an anticipated exhibition of Robert Capa’s war photography from 1943 – 1945, ‘Eyewitness’ which featured celebrated, Pulitzer Prize-winning historic photographs, and the J. R. Eyerman Rediscovered exhibition. The gallery features rare and unique exhibitions that are more off the beaten track and as such only discerning travellers can appreciate them fully.
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The Wapping Project Bankside
This expansive art space by the river was created by director Jules Wright and specialises in film and photography. It represents the pioneers of contemporary lens art, including Elina Brotherus, Annabel Elgar, Edgar Martins, Jeffrey Stockbridge and Mitra Tabrizian. A plethora of contemporary themes are covered by its exhibitions from ‘The Rehearsal of Space’ and ‘The Poetic Impossibility’ to ‘Manage the Infinite’ to ‘Turning the Season: Scenes from a Contemporary Marriage’.
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Hamilton’s
Founded in 1977, Hamilton’s is one of the earliest specialised photography galleries in London, offering new perspectives regarding some of the prominent works of contemporary photography of the 20th century. It has a striking exhibition space where the works of photographers like Irving Pennand Annie Leibovitz have been exhibited. With a honed and evocative environment, the gallery has earned a reputation for representing the best artists in this field and as such, their exhibitions always reflect this reputation.
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Contributed bywww.theshaftesbury.co.uk
