John Blakemore: The Master Printer

"I can't believe they're photographs", "Stunning", "Truly masterful", "Incredible show", are statements resonating through the gallery right now. It's such a pleasure to be exhibiting these masterfully-crafted photographs, and to witness our visitors' recognition of the beauty, accomplishment and importance of these wonderful photographic gems.

"The exploration and control of process is fundamental to serious expression in any medium. The print is the interface between photographer and viewer, the carrier of meaning, of emotional resonance. The exploration of the tonal scale has been fundamental to my practice since the mid 1970's, the tonal scale of the print parallels the musical scale, a print may be 'played' pianissimo or fortissimo, the tonal structures of a print provide a first level of connotation to which a viewer responds prior to an investigation of content. I am intrigued by the limits of tonality, in extending what a print, a photograph might look like". —John Blakemore

Amergen–The Garden In Winter (1991) ©John Blakemore

Amergen–The Garden In Winter (1991) DETAIL ©John Blakemore

Incredibly, John Blakemore's photographs are very affordable. As with many of his generation, he did not edition his work until recently. Although highly regarded in Britain, and despite having his work held in many renowned collections such as the Victoria & Albert Museum of Art, Bibliothéque Nationale and Los Angeles County Musuem, his work has never flooded the market – so, in reality, you won't find very many prints of each photograph.

John Blakemore has now 'retired' many of his negatives, making the vintage prints in our exhibition the last prints being offered on the primary market.