Collaboration rules at the London Art Fair Photo50

The London Art Fair is back, with its Photography Focus Day on 19 January and the Photo50 group show curated by a collective the first time – the Hemera Collective curatorial group, which currently includes Jaime Marie Davis, Ashley Lumb, Helen Trompeteler and Kay Watson.
The Hemera Collective has put together a show called Resolution is not the point. which gathers photography and lens-based media artists from nine countries, including Larry Achiampong, David Birkin, Qiana Mestrich, and James Tylor & Laura Wills. The exhibition also includes work by several collectives, one of its points of enquiry is the way in which photography is encouraging artists to collaborate as it evolves, “as they push conceptual and technical boundaries of image-making, reaching beyond their own specialisms and drawing on the circulation of images, knowledge, and resources”.
The four artists in the group (play)ground-less are showing a work called Hollow Tongues #2, for example, “which speculates upon how 3D imaging technologies, specifically game engines, can be harnessed​ ​as​ ​a​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​shared​ ​seeing​ ​and​ ​participation​ ​through​ ​Virtual​ ​Reality (VR)”.

​“We are thrilled to have been invited to be the first collective to curate the annual Photo50 exhibition at London Art Fair 2018,” state Hemera Collective. “It is a fantastic opportunity for us to bring together an inspiring range of artists, photographers, and collectives who truly explore the potential of photography to open up new ways of seeing the world. Our aim is to introduce these artists to new audiences, and to celebrate the diversity of creativity that exists at this time through an exhibition that reflects our commitment to working​ ​cooperatively​ ​and​ ​collaboratively.”
The London Art Fair is open from 17-21 January, 2018, with the Photo50 show open throughout. The Photography Focus Day on 19 January will include talks and discussions with curators and galleries such as Hemera Collective, Photoworks, and The Photographers’ Gallery www.londonartfair.co.uk

Diane Smyth

Diane Smyth is the editor of BJP, returning for a second stint on staff in 2023 - after 15 years on the team until 2019. As a freelancer, she has written for The Guardian, FT Weekend Magazine, Creative Review, Aperture, FOAM, Aesthetica and Apollo. She has also curated exhibitions for institutions such as The Photographers Gallery and Lianzhou Foto Festival. You can follow her on instagram @dismy