David Bailey personally selects photographs from his archives for first-time exhibitors, Imitate Modern (London). Showcasing rarely seen photographs of Miles Davies and Jean Shrimpton, with Face Paint by David Hockney. Among the other impressive solo presentations at Photo London, new exhibitors, Albion Barn (Little Milton, Oxfordshire), present a solo booth of new and recent work by Nick Knight. Further solo presentations include Poulomi Basu, finalist of the 2021 Deutsche Börse Prize, at TJ Boulting (London); Rankin at 29 Arts in Progress (Milan), Jessica Backhaus at ROBERT MORAT GALERIE (Berlin), Ching-Yuan Hsu at Galerie_Frédéric Moisan (Paris) and Dafna Talmor at Sid Motion Gallery (London).

Additional highlights include photographs by Constantin Brancusi, André Kertész, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and other masters at Grob Gallery (London, Geneva); Andy Warhol’s Polaroids and photographs of the pop artist by his friend William John Kennedy at Long Sharp Gallery (Indianapolis); October Gallery (London), presenting pioneering work by James Barnor, Benji Rei, Alexis Peskine and Romuald Hazoumè; and Jane Hilton’s Drag Queen Cowboys series, finalist of the Sony Word Photography Awards, on view for the first time at Eleven Fine Art (Twickenham).

Despite the massive challenges of the pandemic the galleries featured in the Discovery section - dedicated to galleries less than 5 years old - continue breaking new ground. Galerie Number 8 (Brussels) present work by Prix Pictet shortlisted artist David Uzochukwu, as well as Ruby Okoro and Bettina Pittaluga. London’s SEAGER bring together works by Monique Atherton and Liz Calvi, both of whom are concerned with the portrayal of women in an increasingly public sphere. TINTERA (Cairo), make their art fair debut at Photo London, showcasing works by two Middle Eastern contemporary artists, Ibrahim Ahmed and Heba Khalifa, who focus on themes of identity and gender issues through a contemplative display of photographic portraits and unique photo collages. Galerie-Peter-Sillem (Frankfurt am Main) dedicate their booth to Alia Ali, FT Weekend magazine’s ‘top pick’ at Photo London 2019. First-time exhibitors in this section include south London galleries Gas Gallery, specialising in camera less, abstract photography, ECAD specialising in black and white photography, Encounter, whose booth plays with the limits of photography and Indigo + Madder, focusing on contemporary art from South Asia and its diaspora.

Photo London’s commitment to showcasing outstanding historic photography continues with Augusta Edwards Fine Art, presenting works by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Josef Koudelka, Eliott Erwitt and Stuart Franklin; England & Co., exhibit artists who explore photography as a method of documentation, experimentation, and visual statements about politics and feminism. Well-known artists will be on view alongside recently re-discovered ones including Sue Barnes, Rose Boyt and Rolph Gobits; Robert Hershkowitz Ltd (all London), presenting amongst others, Roger Fenton, William Henry Fox Talbot, P.H. Emerson; Stewart & Skeels with Bernard Quaritch (London, Irvine) showing a selection of vintage photos including prints by Julia Margaret Cameron, Bill Brandt, Roger Mayne, Chris Killip; and Roland Belgrave (Brighton), who specialises in sourcing rare and early photographs from the pioneers of Exploration and early travel.

Special exhibitors include London’s Association of Photographers (AOP), and Lee Miller Archives (East Sussex), showing works by the famed photographer alongside the private work of LIFE magazine photographer and editor David E. Scherman, who captured Miller’s life as a war correspondent. Prix Pictet also participate as a special exhibitor with a preview screening of the works shortlisted for Prix Pictet Fire.

In the Publishers section, Photo London is delighted to welcome new exhibitors GOST (London), Setanta Books (London) and Loose Joints (Marseille, London) alongside returning publishers Hoxton Mini Press (London), Thames & Hudson (London) and TASCHEN (Berlin, Cologne, London, Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong), presenting a SUMO collector edition of AMAZÔNIA, Sebastião Salgado’s most extensive project to date.