The month of June will bring the London Festival of Photography to a multitude of different venues across London focused primarily in and around King’s Cross and Bloomsbury. With only one month left until numerous events begin taking shape, it is time to start exploring what this exciting series of opportunities will bring.
This season’s festival theme will explore the relationship between the public and the private, particularly linked to developments in street photography. This topic allows the festival to address issues including the fundamental questions surrounding the influences an image has on a photographer and the ever popular and important examination of privacy within social media. It will also foster discussions into private and public property debates and the ethical challenges surrounding private images displayed in public spaces.
The festival will be remaining true to the street photography origins of the festival, and feature the hotly anticipated International Street Photography Award, alongside the Student Street Photography Award supporting the best up-and-coming talent to come out of the UK education system. But this year’s offerings will also include a greater emphasis on conceptual photographic projects and work that is more closely connected to documentation and photojournalism.
Although the festival will be offering a variety of exhibitions, workshops, portfolio reviews, and lectures, one highlight of this year’s festival is most certainly the opportunity to take a masterclass with South African photographer Jodi Bieber who won the World Press Photo Award in 2011 for her work in Afghanistan. In addition to this once–in–a–lifetime opportunity to discuss portfolio development with a world renowned photographer, there is also an evening to hear her speak about her experience shooting Bibi Aisha, a mutilated Afghan girl on 7 June.
While still maintaining a strong connection to its roots in street photography, new and important topics within the photographic community will be addressed through discussion and exhibition in a number of significant locations. The organizers continue to promote young photographers and enthusiasts in London by promoting a platform to learn from established photographers within the industry. The first event will be held at Swiss Cottage Gallery on 25 May and run until 1 June. For more information about exhibitions and events have a look at the website which also provides a very useful calendar to begin planning for a very exciting month.
Words: Portia Petterson © 2012 ArtLyst
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