Exhibitions Visited

SONY AWARDS

http://www.worldphoto.org/about-the-sony-world-photography-awards/2013-professional-winners/
13th July 2012


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/sony-world-photography-awards-2013--judging-criteria-and-insights-135449669.html#FpMkVsW

OUT OF FOCUS : PHOTOGRAPHY

SAATCHI GALLERY, KINGS ROAD, LONDON.


Another new experience for me today, was the Saatchi Gallery.  I haven't visited here before and enjoyed it very much.  Its a modern space in a beautiful traditional building, with vast greenery to the front and set right on the Kings Road, minutes from Sloane Street tube.

It was free entry, which always surprises me and the exhibition is called 'Out of Focus'.

The photographs were very varied, some of which I didn't enjoy looking at particularly, however the Google Photography Prize on the top floor proved to be my favourite.  Im not sure if I related to these more - easier to understand - but they were more comfortable to view.

There were 12 Galleries which were all easy to navigate.  I wont discuss all of them but I will start with gallery 1.  These were simple in the fact that they all had plain white walls as a background, which I liked, they were a variety of Portraits, portraits rather than street photography, says the artist, as they had all given their permission to have the picture taken, she knows nothing about them, but lets their image tell their story.  Not at all glamourous, some of the images not at all flattering. They really are a strange bunch - interesting - all varying body parts - hairy - veiny - knobbly knees etc.. but they do intrigue ... A great selection of characters.

The galleries moved from single colour landscapes to heavy U.S. Industrial shots, to mosaic of Paris.  This very much took my eye, I am taken by Mosaics and always want to try for myself - i'm sure they cant be as hard as I imagine.  There is so much information to look at and I have just been to Paris so could really relate to this one.  I would like to know how to do this.  The Mosaic theme leads us to Gallery 11, Andreas Gefeller, who has taken numerous images of floor space which have been stitched together, its hardly noticeable - I only knew after reading the literature.

There was some nakedness and a splattering of private parts - which always seem to have to appear in these exhibitions.  Some pictures were completely defaced - which did nothing for me.  Others I am undecided about, which were old photos that were sliced in half and rejoined with another to produce a new picture.  The photographer claims it brings new life to an old photo, however I feel it just destroys the old ones, which I would be comfortable with doing.

There was a really wide range of images at this show, some I was uncomfortable with, some I just couldn't see the point .... well it definitely wasn't boring.

The show critic William A Ewing suggests that 'we look at this exuberant show through an appropriate lens - a Kaleidoscope !   and he is right... that sums it up well.

The part of the show that I really enjoyed was the 'Google Photographic Prize'.  The winner was Viktor Johansson, his pictures were showing the lonelier side of a diver training regime. This shot below was the winning picture.  Its one of my favourites too..

Also I liked Dona Stirlings  Childhood Memories.   Her photos really struck a note with me - she capture pictures which stirred memories, lights, textures, settings.. these picture are simple but very effective..

And lastly ... my very favourite shot ...

I love the angle this is taken at, I love the expressions of the totally distracted men, completely engrossed.   Love it.......