London Street Photography – a new exhibition showcasing the Museum’s fantastic collection of London street photographs from c.1860 to 2010, will open on 18 February 2011.
The exhibition demonstrates how street photography has evolved over the years and the way in which it helps us understand the dynamism and energy of the capital. The photographs offer a fascinating visual documentation of the evolving city – a true snapshot through time.
Approximately 200 photographs will be on display, including work by well-known photographers such as John Thomson, Henry Grant and Roger Mayne, as well as superb contemporary images. All the photographs in the exhibition contain an element of chance – a defining characteristic of street photography. Whether it’s a fleeting expression, a brief encounter or a momentary juxtaposition, every piece has a sense of spontaneity and movement.
This will be the first time street photography is explored exclusively in relation to London. It focuses on the motives of the photographers and the wider social and cultural contexts in which they worked.
Mike Seaborne, Senior Curator of Photographs at the Museum of London said: “The exhibition will provide an interesting insight into how London street photography has developed since 1860. Each photographer has, in their own way, captured something of the character of this amazing city.”
To launch the exhibition, The Museum of London has partnered with The Big Issue. As a magazine and movement that was born on the streets, The Big Issue has a unique take on London life. The Museum of London invited Big Issue vendors to photograph London’s streets to show the city from a different perspective. The resulting images will be published in the magazine, and the most popular photographs, as voted by readers, will become part of the exhibition from June 2011.
London Street Photography opens 18 February – 4 September 2011. Admission is free.
