Information and discussion on all aspects of British photographic history

Symposium: China through the Lenses of the Western Photographers

John Thomson, a Scot who was born two years before the invention of the daguerreotype and the birth of photography, is considered a pioneer of photojournalism and one of the most influential photographers of his generation.

At that time, foreign travel was much more arduous and rare than it is today, and photography was still in its infancy, requiring a cumbersome mass of equipment. But Thomson, with energy and perseverance, captured a wide variety of images - landscapes, architecture and people from all walks of life - that give us an extraordinary insight into the everyday life and people of 19th century China.

Organised by the School of Culture and Creative Arts, University of Glasgow, and supported by the Wellcome Trust and Friends of Glasgow Museums, a special symposium to expand on the current Burrell Collection exhibition China through the Lens of John Thomson, 1868-1872 will be held on Saturday 7th May 2011. The one-day event will bring together speakers from the world of visual art and culture to present in-depth discussions on the Scottish photographer John Thomson’s experiments in China, and on his significance as one of the pioneers of documentary photography and photojournalism. The day will also offer an opportunity to see some new images from John Thomson’s glass negatives, never before shown in public.

Details of this symposium can be found here, and the symposium programme here: China%2520Through%2520the%2520Lenses%2520of%2520the%2520Western%252....

You can secure a place at this symposium by contacting The Burrell Collection direct on 0141 287 2593. The accompanying exhibition is on-going, and separate details can be found here.