Blogs

A Research Seminar given by David Campany in the history of photography is taking place on 13 November. Admission is open to everyone.  ‘With photography the essence is done very quickly with a flash of the mind, and with a machine. I think too that photography is editing, editing after the taking. After knowing what to take you have to do the editing’. So said Walker Evans. Arguably the significance of modern photography is as much to do with the editing together of pictures as it is the pictures themselves. And in many ways the rise of the curator in contemporary art was foreshadowed long ago by the rise of the editor of photographs across visual culture, from magazine art directors, to art historians relying on reproductions, to photographers assembling their images into definitive bodies of work. David Campany will explore this question from a number of directions, historical and contemporary.

David Campany writes, curates exhibitions, makes art and teaches at the University of Westminster. His books include Walker Evans: the magazine work (Steidl 2013), Gasoline (MACK, 2013), Jeff Wall: Picture for Women (Afterall, 2010), Photography and Cinema (Reaktion, 2008) and Art and Photography (Phaidon, 2003). This year he has curated Mark Neville: Deeds Not Words at The Photographer's Gallery and a major show of the work of Victor Burgin at Ambika P3, London.

The History of Photography research seminar series aims to be a discursive platform for the discussion and dissemination of current research on photography. From art as photography and early photographic technology to ethnographic photographs and contemporary photography as art, the seminar welcomes contributions from researchers across the board, whether independent or affiliated with museums, galleries, archives, libraries or higher education, and endeavors to provide scholars with a challenging opportunity to present work in progress and test out new ideas.

The seminars usually take place once a term, on Wednesday evenings at 5.30pm in the Research Forum. The papers, and formal discussion, are followed by informal discussion and refreshments.

Organised by Sara Knelman and Prof Julian Stallabrass (The Courtauld Institute of Art)

Open to all, free admission

Wednesday, 13 November 2013, 5.30pm, Research Forum South Room, The Courtauld Institute of Art, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN

The Verge reports on Richard Balzar's collection of pre-cinema and magic lanterns. It shows a number of animated gifs of zoetrope strips and related items. 

http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/25/5027890/the-psychedelic-and-grotesque-proto-gifs-of-the-19th-century

De Montfort University's Photographic History Research Centre will be holding a conference in 2014 titled Exchanging Photographs: Making Knowledge. A call for papers will be made shortly. 

The 9th Seminar is organised by the Museu del Cinema, The Department of Geography, History & History of Art at the University of Girona (UdG), and the Spanish Ministry Economy and Competitiveness "La construcción del imaginario bélico en las actualidades de la Primera Guerra Mundial".

Girona, Spain - 14 and 15 November 2013. 

Details: http://www.museudelcinema.cat/eng/institut_seminari_2013.php

The next London Photograph Fair is this Sunday, November 10th and on our website you can now see a small selection of the images that will be offered on the day. To see the preview please click here. This is just a fraction of the many thousands of items: prints, cased images and books that will be available on the day.  We have no fewer than 45 individual dealers scheduled to take part, with every inch of available space now let. Admission is £3, or as usual, it is free after if you email us for a voucher on :info@photofair.co.uk

Image:

Detail, New Louvre, Edouard Baldus, Transitional Salt Print, 1855

Price: £575 (se-photo.com) 

 Meanwhile the Fair will be the venue for a preview of some of the selected highlights from Bonhams Travel and Exploration sale to be held in London on December 4th.  The auction will include a good selection of photographs by William Saunders, Samuel Bourne, John Sache, Felix Beato, Francis Frith, Francis Bedford, Herbert Ponting and Deen Dayal, among others. Views include, Gibraltar, China, Hong Hong, Burma, Borneo, Afghanistan, Himalayas, Pakistan, India, Tibet, British Columbia, Antarctica etc.

In addition, Denis Pellerin and Paula Fleming, two of the co-authors of the book Diableries : Stereoscopic Adventures in Hell, will be present at the London Photograph Fair from 12.00 to 1.00. They will be signing copies of this newly released devilish publication. These will have been pre-signed by the third co-author, Dr. Brian May, who cannot attend, but will be there in spirit.