Magnum Photos celebrates its 75th anniversary at this year’s Photo London art fair (May 12th to 15th at Somerset House) by highlighting a new generation of photographers, while paying homage to the agency’s unique history.
Magnum’s exhibition booth (G11, in the central marquee) will feature fine prints by two pairs of photographers, each shown in dialogue with each other, in keeping with the theme for the agency’s anniversary activities throughout 2022.
Bruce Davidson, a member since 1958, and Khalik Allah, who joined as a Magnum nominee in 2020, offer us two visions of New York urban life – generations apart. Both photographers focus their lenses on communities in distress, riddled with poverty and addiction. They offer testimonies of their time, characterized by the same degree of directness and proximity with their subjects, without judgment or sentimentality.
Cristina de Middel, who became a Magnum associate in 2019, and Yael Martínez, a nominee since 2020, both suggest more surrealist visions in their work while remaining grounded in reality. They represent a new generation of Magnum photographers who question the notion of truth in photography and challenge the limits of more traditional documentary styles.
De Middel will be talking alongside her Magnum colleague (and current president of the agency) Olivia Arthur in a collaboration with Prix Pictet.
Book your tickets for Photo London and find out more about its full line-up of exhibitors and talks here.
