A walk through of Jason Shenai our Founder and Director at the VIP day of Photo London
Went to Photo London with Ana Blumenkron, Millennium’s marketeer. First stop was to see Richard Kalman of Crane Kalman Brighton, through whom we often sell prints of the work of Michael Ormerod. We are intending to put on a new Ormerod show in the autumn, to coincide with a new book of his work, to be published by RRB Photobooks.
Having held off for more than 15 minutes we then gravitated towards the Champagne bar…. Then saw interesting show of photographs of Prospect Cottage, Derek Jarman’shome at Dungeness. This was of special interest to me as last week I attended a Zoom talk given by the chief gardener at Prospect cottage hosted by Mediterranean Garden Society. In addition when I was a photographer’s assistant many decades ago, my photographer and I went to document the interior of Dungeness nuclear power station a few month before it was due to crank into operation. One of the technicians said he wanted to be at least 50 miles awaywhen they pressed the start button. And looking at all rusty the pipe wory and chaotic wiring I could quite see why.
From there to the next door gallery, Herchkowitz, where fellow Millennial MaraBodis-Wollner was working. Hershkowitz specialises in 19 th certuaryphotography, and I’m sure that I bought various pictures from them in the dayswhen you could buy wonderful works for less than a fiver. Looking round the gallery I was happy to note that there was considerable unevenness in the coating of some of the images. I have personally been struggling with this problem recently with my own gum prints. But now I realise that it’s not aproblem at all, just a beautiful feature of the process! Incidentally the following day when chatting to Mara on Whatsapp she reveal that her old friend William Eggleston had just come into the gallery wearing a gorgeous electric blue suit.
Down to the basement floor where emerging photographers emerge….or not. I was captivated by Taiwan’s Up Gallery display of works by Mia Liu….strips of photographs like drying tagliatelle.
Back upstairs past the cocktail bar, offering free cocktails (it was VIP day) but you would need the patience of a Saint to get them.
Almost got tangled up with Ed Clark in a revolving doorway. Hadn’t seen him for ages but most of our chatter was about the fact that he was Ana’s tutor when she was at LCC.
Into the West Wing to see some Lee Millers… plus Jenny Matthew and PeterKennard….remaniscing about old times in Ellingfort Road… and where is CynthiaMorrison Bell theses day?
Finally staggered out again into the sunshine and rain. Feel I’ve had an absolute feast.
