On 14 January 1971, The Photographers’ Gallery opened its doors with The Concerned Photographer, an exhibition that had previously been shown in the United States, Switzerland and Japan, and which presented photography as the optimum medium to document social conditions. This online conference has been organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of The Photographers’ Gallery in 1971 and will explore the legacy of its innovative programming within broader infrastructures of exhibition, display and photographic practice, from the 1970s to the present day.

This is the first day in a series of talks, presentations and discussion taking place across two weeks in November and December that will showcase new research and practices focusing on the histories of photography in Britain over the last 50 years. The event will also offer a space for thinking about the future of the medium and its display, with panels addressing topics such as institutions and infrastructures and pedagogies. 

Please click here for more information on sessions taking place on Wednesday 1 December and Thursday 2 December. Full programme available for download below. 

This conference will be held entirely online and is a collaboration between the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and The Photographers’ Gallery. 

Schedule (all times listed in GMT)

10.30 Welcome

Institutions, Infrastructures 

10.45 Introduction by Shoair Mavlian (Photoworks)
10.50 Anne McNeill (Impressions Gallery), ‘Institutions, Infrastructure and Exhibitions: The Case of Impressions Gallery’
11.05 David Bate (University of Westminster), “1979: A Snapshot of the UK’
11.20 Taous R. Dahmani (PhD Candidate in the History of Art Department at Paris 1 Panthéon- Sorbonne), ‘Creating Autograph ABP’
12.05 Andrew Dewdney (London South Bank University), ‘Forget Photography: The Arts Council and the Disappearance of Independent Photography in Neoliberal Britain’
12.20 Annebella Pollen (University of Brighton), ‘Exploring Our Weaknesses on the International Stage: British Council Photography and Self-critique in the 1970s and 1980s’

Pedagogies

14.20 Introduction by Dr Karen Shepherdson (London College of Communication)
14.25 Juliet Hacking (Sotheby’s Institute of Art), ‘Talking Pictures: Teaching Photography as Art in Higher Education’
14.40 Anne Lyden (National Galleries of Scotland), ‘The Glasgow Degree’

Artist Keynote

15.20 Presentation by Mahtab Hussain, moderated by Luisa Ulyett

Ticketing

Be part of the conversation live over Zoom – book to receive your log in details. If you're unable to join the live conversation, the talk will later be published here and on our YouTube channel.

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