Wham photo sense show9/4/2023 “From our first temporary exhibition in 2020, the response to the artworks has been incredibly positive. They identified and tapped into a gap in the market that other significant art houses failed to recognise. But part of what makes them so successful is because of their uniqueness. Situated in the heart of London, the galley is very much a fish out of water. In the meantime, we hope to play a part in fostering the increasing interest in and valuation of photography from Africa and her diaspora in our home city.” Photograph by Yannis Davy Guibingaĭoyle Wham is a female-led art gallery championing contemporary African art and photography. The audience is there, and the artists are there, so now we just need the market to catch up. Antwaun Sargent’s travelling exhibition and publication, The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion, is on show at London’s Saatchi Gallery. And the Serpentine Gallery’s excellent show of James Barnor. This can be seen in the Tate Modern’s retrospective of Zanele Muholi. “Institutional interest has grown sharply in the last few years. This is, of course, a catch-22 situation in which the market, as a result, develops slowly. Equally, while there is a considerable interest and demand for paintings by African artists in the UK, photography is the least exhibited medium. London’s commercial photography scene is also relatively small compared to cities such as Paris and New York. Compared to mediums such as painting, photography tends to sell at lower prices. “We have had many interesting conversations with other galleries, museums and auction houses on this topic. In a country as large and diverse as the United Kingdom, especially one that is such a significant player in the art world, it is quite a surprise that its first gallery dedicated to Contemporary African photography comes in the year 2022. This became the starting point for our first physical exhibition (PORTR-8) in 2020. “As time went on, we increasingly wondered why there was such a lack of photography by African artists being exhibited compared to other mediums. However, while immersing themselves in the world of contemporary African art, they noticed a few things missing from London’s art world. It inspired Imme to train in History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies, and Sofia to get involved in Africa-based art initiatives.” “We were most excited by the presentations of contemporary art from Africa. However, one particular genre caught their eye and kept them returning for more. This chance opportunity led to an almost daily obsession with wandering the halls of some of London’s finest art establishments. Their passion for the arts started during their years as cash-strapped students who happened upon London’s free-to-visit commercial gallery spaces. Ten years later, they fulfilled their ambition of opening an art gallery, establishing the UK’s first gallery dedicated to contemporary African photography. Imme Doyle and Sofia Wham are two best friends who met at 16.
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