Photographers' Gallery to close down for a year, answers criticisms

Politics more important than photos.

The Photographers Gallery is a complete shambles. Often the political message of the exhibitions is regarded as far more important than the quality of the photographs themselves. Prints of such poor quality and composition, so bad that they would embarrass even a novice student, are regularly displayed and applauded because of their politically correct messge. There's no doubt that the gallery has fallen into the hands of a self-serving clique. The result is that we have a gallery which receives millions of pounds from the tax payer, but which has very little relevance or appeal to any aspiring British photographer, or indeed any lover of photography. This is a major scandal and deserves investigation. Hopefully, the new government will begin to train its sights on this narrowly run organisation, and I urge everyone to write to their MP to demand that they do so. It's time the Photographers Gallery was made more accountable on how it spends our hard earned cash. We want a gallery which exhibits excellence in photography, not some cosy club for the urban elite.

Photographer's Gallery

It all depends of course how you define 'excellence in Photography". Its all relative and subject to the prejudices/tastes of the photographer /critic /gallery. Does it have an audience? I did spend this summer going to the Photographer's Gallery every day (as I was working in London around the corner. I was pleased to see Sally Mann and various other works in the cafe/shop area (nice sandwiches and staff too!). Not the usual unfriendly London welcome we northerners have come to expect. However, (and it IS a big caveat) yes the programme at PG - in the past - has suffered from work which does not fit the mold of 'postmodern' or 'politically correct' falling by the wayside. Much of it formed as always by the preferences of the curators. But exhibitions by Keith Arnett and Jim Goldberg were an absolute joy to see. So, perhaps a more accessible viewing policy (rather than the invitation only ) would make more diverse work available. It can't always be the same people exhibiting and we do need more contemporary work which questions the way we represent people and intelligent analysis of what photography actually is in the 21st century. Its not what it was. So - for me - PG a bit of a 'curates egg' but still enjoy visiting (if not 'allowed' to exhibiti - because of the reasons stated by others. The exhibitions have not been nearly as groundbreaking as the old National Museum has been of late in Bradford Sadly, now this has descended into 'populist' and 'bums in seats' which only means less critical and radical exhibitions for me.

Closed Shops & The Real Photographers Gallery

As a photographer I'm used to being ignored by people: folks in the street, picture editors etc but trying to contact the Photographers Gallery about exhibtion proposals is beyond a bad joke, they used to have a submission email but then it was replaced by a paragraph that says exhibitions are generated by a panel of mysterious 'experts'. Either sack the lot of them and give the funding to another London Photography Gallery or start 'The Real Photographers Gallery' during the year it's shut and show them how beautiful it could be!

Gallery

Was in London Last year and really was looking forward to visiting the Photographers Gallery. I was never so disappointed in anything in my life after my visit there.

Shoddy goings on at the Photographer’s Gallery, London?

It looks like they're kicking out their long serving cafe staff too - Billy was there from the start but it seems they're thanking him for his loyalty by shipping in a franchise operation.

Good article here: http://www.urban75.org/blog/goodbye-photographers-gallery-london/

Its just a Joke!!!

The last exhibition that was any good was Taryn Simons American Index, but the current Sally Mann show is just flannel.

It does seem like a cosy little club for the metropolitan elite and little to do with art or culture.

No Passion

Spending £8.7m on new galleries when the existing ones were so poorly utilised seems a travesty. I have been an active photographer in London for 20 years and if the Photographers Gallery never reopened it would barely affect me, I don't think I would notice....how can that be the case?

But I have seen and been involved in exhibitions at places like Photofusion, The Host Gallery in London and the new Third Floor Gallery in Cardiff who struggle to pay their rent each month but put on an exciting and relevant program of shows.

The Photographers Gallery has made itself irrelevant and new gallery spaces are not going to change that basic fact, it needs an injection of passion and a new team at the helm who understand the full breadth of photographic practice and are actually part of the UK's otherwise thriving photography community.

Gallery party to abuse of copyright

It looks like the gallery, or someone retained by them, are ripping photographers off.
See here for the details http://johngoldsmithphotography.com/archives/491
Then ask the BJP why it isn't reporting that photographers' rights are being abused.