Sony World Photography Awards 2019


Disappointing exhibition at Somerset House of the shortlisted pictures from this year’s Sony World Photography Award.

I say disappointing because I usually love this show but I thought it felt a bit thin this year. It’s always an eclectic mix of professional portfolios and an open completion. I prefer the open section as it’s about single good pictures whereas the portfolios are more about the stories they are telling as a set. I sometimes feel the story is more important than the images.  Also can I make a plea for commentaries that talk about the context of the picture not the meaning of life!

Stand out images this year include a large work by Christie Lee Rogers called “Harmony” of girls in swirling dresses floating underwater. It had a feel of a Baroque ceiling painting. I loved a quirky picture by Christine Mittermeher of a Chinese woman with a live goose on her head also a still life of broken china by Gaurav Doshi.

This year’s featured photographer was Nadav Kander covering work from their 30 year career including work from her Yangtze River series and some lovely large scale work showing signs of everyday life.

My favourite works this year were by Stephan Zirwes of swimming pools from above, creating strange, clear geometric abstract pictures.

Closes on 6 May  2019

Review
Evening Standard

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