Express Art Gallery

Added 24th April:

THE AOP OPEN CALL FOR ENTRIES DEADLINE THURSDAY 5 JULY 2007

For everyone who is passionate about photography, The AOP OPEN is the perfect
opportunity to achieve recognition for outstanding images. You maybe a
professional photographer or a weekend snapper, it doesn¹t matter there
are no restrictions or categories, you just have to take a great picture.
The aim of the competition is to celebrate the diversity of photography.

Now In its eighth year, The AOP OPEN is one of the few major photographic
competitions accessible to everyone, aiming to bring photographers together
in a search for fantastic imagery. If you have ever wanted your work to be
showcased in a leading London gallery, here is your chance.

Judged by industry creatives drawn from photographic, design, advertising
and editorial backgrounds, the very best images will be shown at the AOP
Gallery, London from 21 August 27 September 2007. Awards will be presented
for the judges Best in Show¹ choices, along with a Judges Choice¹
selection, and Public Choice¹ winner at the gala ceremony on 23 August.

Entry is open to all and there are no restrictions on subject matter or
number of entries. Entry Fee is only £12.50 (inc VAT) per photograph. For
full information and to download an entry form, visit www.aop-open.com.

AOP Student Awards Exhibition
23 May – 2 June 2007, AOP Gallery, London EC2

The entries for the 2007 AOP Student Photographer of the Year, sponsored by Epson, came in thick and fast this year breaking all previous records with a final count at just under 3000 images.

The exhibition opens on May 23rd following the private view and prize giving presentation on the evening of May 22nd. The judges had the enormous task of choosing just 70 images from entries comprised of single images and series of work within four categories: Lifestyle & Portraiture, Still Life, Fashion & Beauty and Landscapes, Interiors, Exteriors. The diversity of styles and subject matter was supported by the strength of technical and creative ability displayed.

The judging panel was composed of creative professionals including:
Sam Armstrong Professional Photographer
Sarah Greenwood Photographer’s Agent
Richard Maxted Professional Photographer
Glen Taylor MD Taylor James © James Tye
Jeremy Tribe Art Director

The winner of the coveted AOP Student Photographer of the Year award will be announced at the prize giving on 22nd May 2007, at the AOP Gallery, London. The winner receives a package of prizes to launch their professional career, including an Epson Stylus photo 2100 printer, a double page spread in the prestigious Photography Awards book and extensive PR. They will also gain hands on experience when they assist the AOP Photographer of his or her choice on a shoot. A runner-up prize and two Merit prizes will also be awarded to three students who will each receive an Epson Stylus Photo R300 printer. The Association of Photographers has been running an annual competition for students since 1981.These awards recognise the excellent standard of photography produced by individuals studying on photography related courses in the UK. Now, a quarter of a century since their inception, the Student Awards continue to flourish and offer the winning students and their colleges both support and valuable publicity. An exhibition of the 73 selected images will be on show at the AOP Gallery, London EC2, from May 23rd until 2nd June.

Added 5th April:

Breaking Barriers 2

A creative arts workshop specialising in:
a.. Augusto Boal techniques;
b.. Improvisation;
c.. Devising;
d.. Performance;
e.. Facilitation;
f.. Youth Arts;
g.. Exploring issues;
h.. Arts within Criminal Justice Settings.
This highly practical hands-on course is particularly suited to people who want to experience and practise a variety of creative action methods in group work to explore issues, make theatre or work within challenging contexts.

Who is this for?
People interested in using drama and theatre as a tool to explore personal and social issues, and for people who want to gain new skills to fulfil their obligation and commitment to the people they serve. The course covers exercises with explanations, instructions and suggestions to help you develop your own style and approach. The creative action methods can be readily adapted to a wide range of settings with adults and young people.

The course is a resource for: performers, youth workers, social/health workers, PSHE specialists, drama graduates, project managers, community workers, artists, workshop leaders, teachers, theatre practitioners, creative art therapists, counsellors, mental health workers, team builders and special needs workers.

No previous drama experience is necessary however a willingness to actively explore new methods of working is an essential requirement. This will also be an opportunity for professional development, networking and skill sharing so as to enable continued high standards of good practice.

4 Courses will be running this year (2007)

Dylan Jones hosts AOP Awards at Sadler¹s Wells

Dylan Jones, editor of GQ magazine, hosted the 24th AOP Photography Awards at Sadler¹s Wells Theatre, London last Monday March 26th 2007. Nearly one thousand guests attending this showcase for the photographic industry saw Silver Awards go to Charlie Crane, Julia Fullerton-Batten, Markku Lahdesmaki and Adam Hinton this year.

The gala evening included a reception at which the Photography Awards
Exhibition of 350 images selected by the judges was launched together with the 2007 Awards Book. Then on to the main event in the theatre Dylan Jones announced the Award winners in each category in front of a stunning audio-visual production that spanned the entire Sadler¹s Wells stage. All winning images can be viewed at www.the-awards.com.

AOP Awards Winners
AOP Photographers¹ Awards Winners
Silver Awards: Charlie Crane (Project), Julia Fullerton Batten (Fashion &
Beauty), Markku Lahdesmaki (Landscapes, Interiors & Exteriors)

Bronze Awards: Uwe Duettman (Project), Adam Hinton (Project), Judith Katz (Still Life), Simon Norfolk (Project), Jaap Viegemtjart (Landscapes Interiors & Exteriors)

AOP Document Winners
Silver Award and Best in Document Prize (£2,500): Adam Hinton (Daily Life)

Bronze Awards: Adrian Brown (Daily Life), Tim A Hetherington (News), Massimo Mastroillo (Feature)

AOP Assistants¹ Awards
Winners (£400 each): Arthur Almeida (Lifestyle & Portraiture), Claudia
Eschborn (Lifestyle & Portraiture), Chris Jelley (Still Life), Daniel
Matthews (Still Life), Ewan McNicol (Landscapes, Interiors & Exteriors),
Nicky Walsh (Landscapes, Interiors & Exteriors).

Merits (£200 each): Claudia Eschborn (Landscapes, Interiors & Exteriors),
Tom Hull (Landscapes, Interiors & Exteriors), Anthony Lycett (Lifestyle &
Portraiture), Hannah Metz (Lifestyle & Portraiture), Rob Murray (Landscapes, Interiors & Exteriors), Frederic Streicher (Lifestyle & Portraiture).

AOP Awards Judges
More than 4,000 images were submitted by photographers this year and judged by panels of industry professionals:

AOP Photographers¹ Awards
Photographers Gino Sprio and Patrice de Villiers; photographic agents Niall
Horton-Stephens, Wendy Jackson and John Wyatt-Clarke; curators Anne Braybon, National Portrait Gallery and Louise Shannon, Victoria and Albert Museum; Debi Angel, insideout magazine; art directors Jo Casey, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ben Cole, VCCP, Katie Grogan, AMV BBDO, Daniel Moorey, DDB, David Wilson, Crave.

AOP Document
Photographers Tim Flach and Simon Norfolk; Nick Galvin, Magnum; Harry
Hardie, The Times; Nishani Kampfner, SS Robin Gallery.

AOP Assistants¹ Awards
David Kimpton, hat-trick design; Thad Cox and Bertie Scrase, Leo Burnett;
Tatjana Bilger, art buyer.

The Photographers¹ Awards 2007 Exhibition runs in two parts from 28 March - 4 April and 8 May 18 May , the Assistants¹ Awards Exhibition from 5 June to 14 June and AOP Document Exhibition from 1 August 9 August. The AOP Gallery, 81 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4QS.

For further information and press images please contact Gerry Halliday,
Awards Manager on 020 7739 6669, e-mail gerryh@aophoto.co.uk

Added 25th March:

FINISHING TOUCH - THE ART OF DIGITAL RETOUCHING AND MANIPULATION

@ AOP Gallery, London 11 April 3 May 2007

To view a full press release with images visit
http://www.the-aop.org/pdfs/gallery/finishing_touch_PR.pdf

To view the exhibition online visit http://www.aopdigital.com

The Finishing Touch¹ exhibition showcases the latest trends in the art of
digital retouching and manipulation. Over 80 images demonstrate the
technological advances and the immense changes in working practices, which
have had an enormous impact on the face of the industry. With the creative
software available today opportunities are only limited by the imagination
of the creative team. The demand for such sophisticated imagery results
from the increasing visual literacy of the viewing public. This offers a
one off opportunity for visitors to go behind the scenes and discover more
about the composition of these fascinating digital images.

The exhibition will include images where photographer and retoucher have
collaborated to achieve a desired end result and other images where one
individual has completed the entire process. The work will range from fine
art personal work through to commercial well-known advertising commissions.
The demand for such sophisticated imagery results from the increasing visual
literacy of the viewing public. The opportunities today are endless with
ever more sophisticated software available, however, the plausibility of the
end result still relies on the skill of the operator to blend elements
convincingly. The only aspect giving the game away is once the elements are
joined the overall plausibility of the content is unconceivable to be true.
Our fascination lies within the technical ability to make something appear
so convincing. On the other hand digitally enhanced images are also admired
for their subtle manipulation where they are retouched to solely enhance
elements of the image.

With the majority of images being captured, viewed and distributed around
the globe, digital photography has become an influential tool in modern
communication. Technological advances and the changes in working practices
have had an enormous impact on the face of the industry allowing the
individual greater creativity. The Finishing touch exhibition showcases the
very best of digital imaging, where power of digital post-production has
been harnessed.

Finishing Touch is part of the Digital Season at the AOP Gallery, to view a
selection of the exhibition online and to find out more about the season of
events visit http://www.aopdigital.com

Notes to Editors
The ŒFinishing Touch¹ exhibition showcases the latest trends in the art of
digital retouching and manipulation. Over 80 images demonstrate the
technological advances and the immense changes in working practices, which
have had an enormous impact on the face of the industry. The demand for such
sophisticated imagery results from the increasing visual literacy of the
viewing public. This offers a one off opportunity for visitors to go behind
the scenes and discover more about the composition of these fascinating
digital images. Finishing Touch, 11 April 3 May 2007. Private View
Thursday 12 April.

To attend the private view please contact the AOP Gallery.

For press images and further media opportunities contact Rachel Rogers:
E gallery@aophoto.co.uk T 020 7739 6669

AOP Gallery
A 81 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4QS
T +44 (0)20 7739 6669
E gallery@aophoto.co.uk
W www.the-aop.org

Tube Old Street
Open Monday - Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 21st April 12-4pm
Admission free

The Association of Photographers actively supports and promotes professional
photographers interests globally and is recognised as the benchmark for
rights, ethics and business practice. It forms an effective network to
encourage the highest standards in creative, technical and commercial
practices in the photographic industry.

Slash Fiction

Liu Chuang / The Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland / Philippe Parreno / Janek
Simon / Wang Wei / Hu Xiangqian

5 April – 27 May 2007

Preview: Wednesday 4 April, 6.30-9pm

Slash Fiction explores the critically reflexive ways in which artists
utilise mainstream cultural and social structures. The selected artists
operate and participate within major systems or languages such as party
politics, advertising, colonisation and the World Wide Web. The results are
often implicitly challenging to the ways those systems work.

Slash Fiction will present works by six international artists. Janek Simon’s
use of information and materials gained only from the internet will
demonstrate how easy it is to make almost anything given enough time,
patience and bandwidth. Liu Chuang’s conceptual works allow the viewer to
perceive the extent and pervasiveness of large systems, through smaller
events and acts. Philippe Parreno’s The dream of a thing will be screened at
local cinemas during the advertising break, using the visual language of
advertisements to sell something unspecified. Hu Xiangqian’s video Flying
Blue Flag documents his bid for mayor in his local elections, energetically
campaigning by promising commercial regeneration, pushing gently on
religious tensions and simply offering to buy votes. Wang Wei will transform
the architectural grammar of the exhibition space with his ambitious
exhibition design. The Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland will annex Gasworks as
a territory for the duration of the exhibition*.

Slash fiction is a genre of fan fiction in which characters from popular
culture are homoerotically re-cast according to the desires of its usually
female authors. It can be considered a kind of ‘minor literature’: a form of
literature written by the minority in the language of the major group,
capable of unsettling its coherence. Slash Fiction presents strategies that
are similarly minoritarian actions not within linguistic but within social,
cultural, digital and political structures.

* Hu Xiangqian, Wang Wei and Liu Chuang are participating in Gasworks
International Residency Programme between January and March 2007 developing
projects for the exhibition.

* During the weeks of the exhibition, Philippe Parreno’s work The
dream of a thing will be screened during the advertising at various London
cinemas. This one-minute work uses the visual language of advertising in an
extravaganza that sells nothing.

* Slash Fiction is curated by Mia Jankowicz and Nav Haq.

* The Kingdom of Elgaland-Vargaland will celebrate its 15th
anniversary at Gasworks on the closing day of the show, 27th May 2007. Carl
Michael von Hausswolf and his UK Ambassador will give an audience to
subjects and tourists.

Gasworks is open Wednesday to Sunday 12-6pm. Admission is free.

Gasworks has full wheelchair access.

Project supported by Arts Council England and the Esmée Fairbairn
Foundation.

* Non-citizens will require a visa to enter the Kingdom

For further information and images, please contact Sangeeta Sathe at
press@gasworks.org.uk

tel: +44 (0)20 7582 6848 fax: 44 (0)20 7582 0159

GASWORKS

155 Vauxhall Street

London SE11 5RH

Tel: +44 (0)20 7582 6848

Fax: +44 (0)20 7582 0159

info@gasworks.org.uk

www.gasworks.org.uk <http://www.gasworks.org.uk/>

Tube: Vauxhall/Oval

Bus: 2, 36, 133, 159, 436

Added 10th March:

Submissions invited for the Love London Recycled Sculpture Show to be launched on June 5th 2007 in the large enclosed garden of the Sun and Doves pub, Camberwell, London and to run until October 15th. The launch will be one of the events of the London Sustainability Weeks, run by Love London, which will run from June 3rd to June 17th 2007 . The Sun and Doves is a long established venue for art exhibitions all year round and participates in the Camberwell Arts Festival which this year runs from June 17th to 24th 2007 It has film nights and music nights. The London Sustainability Weeks, run by Love London, benefits from extensive publicity. Last year it had 400,000 hits on its website in the three months before the Sustainability Weeks. 100,000 brochures were distributed.

The organisers of the show will place it in as many artistic and green websites as possible.

There is room for several large pieces and up to 20 small ones. They must be made mainly of recycled materials but they can be painted. Any style is welcomed, realistic, surreal, abstract or whatever. The organisers are looking for variety, originality and fun.

Full details of entry requirements, including photos, of site can be seen on www.sculpturemad.com The Sun and Doves has a website www.sunanddoves.co.uk Love London is at www.lovelondon.org.uk

“The Food Spirral” - Book Launch

April, 29th 2007 at The Food Spiral - Book Launch - Plan B
418 Brixton Road London, SW9 7AY
Cost : £5

Come out and celebrate the launch of "The Food Spiral" written by Winsome "Lyrical
Healer" Duncan in conjunction with Soul Unique. I have a concession guest list for £5
otherwise it will be more on the door.

Please confirm if you will be able to make it at thefoodspiral@hotmail.com