January has really got it’s teeth stuck in, and I have been struggling to warm up this evening, but doing the dishes seems to have helped. You can have the water surprisingly hot with a pair of rubber gloves on!

It’s only midway through January as I write this, and there have been lots of exciting events to attend already. My ‘Do Less Better’ mantra has been wavering this past week, so I’m redirecting my Sails…

I attended the annual Taylor Wessing Photo Prize exhibition at the recently re-opened National Portrait Gallery with my friend and fellow photographer, Sonia Davda. We have done this every year, save Covid for a long time now, and both of us agreed (upon realising how little complaining we had done this year) that it was the best display of Portraits that we have seen in this show for a number of years. The winning image by Alexandre Silberman beautifully depicts Diena, who he met in a park in Seine-Saint-Denis in a Paris Suburb. The image forms part of a his project NATURE.

We agreed upon the merits of many, and debated upon others, including a Triptych that we discussed at length, and I am not sure they would have made it through if I was on the judging board, but such is life in the arts! There is always an opportunity to vote for your favourite image as a visitor, and although there were several images I could have chosen I settled on Cara Price’s image ‘Mum’s Engagement Dress’ as it captured my attention with it’s unusual composition; the sitter lying uncompromisingly prone, and looking straight at the camera. The accompanying text adds value for sure, but the image holds its own, and can be seen here if you wish.

The Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize runs until February 25th.

On Tuesday evening I visited the London Art Fair at The Business Design Centre in Islington. Last time I was here was pre-pandemic, so I had a fun night wandering around drinking as much Free Prosecco as it was possible to procure whilst dismissing a lot of the work, but admiring some! It’s a bit of a wild one, with so many galleries on show there, but it was a fun evening, and Thamesmead was very well represented! I was in attendance with another Thamesmead artist, and we bumped into at least another five! Thamesmead Texas had a booth, showing the works of three senior Walmajarri women, natives of the Fitzroy area of western Australia.

Talking of Thamesmead, I have popped myself on the Thamesmead Festival Organising Group; what was I thinking?! The festival will take place on Saturday 10th August this year, and an Open Call will go live in mid February, so if you know any musical acts or other entertainers looking for a receptive audience look out for the call!

It would seem remiss if I didn’t mention the Ceasefire Now march that I attended last Saturday. I went with an old friend of mine, who I met around aged fourteen when she moved to my school. It was around that time that I started to take an interest in politics, and this friend knew more than most, as her Grandad was the Labour Mayor for Swindon around that time! Back then I attended marches against the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and look at us now. It beggars belief.

Another event I got to was a Pop-Up exhibition and book launch for Frankie Mcallister’s Dividing Lines. This was held at the Photo Book Cafe, where I haven’t been in a while, and I had a lovely time catching up with lots of familiar faces. Dividing Lines is a post Brexit photographic essay exploring the concept of division, and centred on the landscapes of Donegal.

And now for another show, and this time I have a piece of work in it! I am delighted to invite you to LIP’s 35th Annual Exhibition Private View at Espacio Gallery in Bethnal Green Road on Thursday 25th January 2024, 7:00 - 9:00 pm.

This year’s exhibition features a line-up of over sixty diverse international artists demonstrating their broad range of approaches to photography. The exhibition selectors were Dr Junko Theresa Mikuriya and Professor Paul Hill.

The gallery will be open to the public from Tuesday 23rd to Sunday 28th January:

Tuesday 23rd - Friday 26th | 12.30 - 18.30

Saturday 27th | 12.00 - 18.00

Sunday 28th | 12.00 - 17.00

Address: Espacio Gallery, 159 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 7DG

Nearest transport links: Bethnal Green and Shoreditch High Street

I will be there for the Private View, and also on duty on Saturday 27th between 12 noon and 3pm. I hope you can make it!

With very best wishes,

Amanda