Address: St James's Palace, St. James's, London SW1A 1BQ
When Frances Sally Day portrayed Queen Victoria and her family at the Royal residence on the Isle of Wight, a woman photographer was a rather rare phenomenon. It was 1859 and the English lords were busily planning charity evenings, but the most powerful head of state in the world was a woman and she chose to entrust her public image to a woman’s point of view. Despite the costs and technical difficulty of an art in its infancy, Day had a studio in Piccadilly, exhibited at the Royal Academy and competed successfully in prestigious national contests. Today, her photos are in good company in the Royal Collection, where it is possible to retrace the history of photography from the female point of view from the 1800s to today. Pioneering experiments, crucial technical innovations and revolutions like that of colour film are all touched upon in this thrilling voyage. Queen Alexandra (1844 - 1925) practiced photography, thanks to the new Kodak cameras that made the art much simpler and manageable. The modernist portraits of Dorothy Wilding, the delicate platinum prints of Alice Hughes, the socially relevant photos of Lee Miller and Toni Frissel are just some examples of the variety of styles and approaches. Besides being a means of artistic expression, photography offered women independence - “A life worth living, without monotony,” in “constant and pleasurable contact with humanity,” wrote photographer Olive Edis, before become an official reporter covering World War One.
After independence in India and throughout Africa, Tropical Modernism came to represent the modernity and progress of these new countries. Working with scholars, architects and filmmakers, the exhibition chronicles a moment of transition in which new freedoms were gained.
Featuring over 100 artists, the exhibition will celebrate well-known names such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Angelica Kauffman, Julia Margaret Cameron and Gwen John, alongside many others who are only now being rediscovered.
An exhibition dedicated to visionary collector Patric D. Prince's unique collection of digital art and the fascinating collaborations and use of technology it reveals. The 14 works on display provide a snapshot of digital art practices from the 1960s to early 2000s.
The legendary band Pink Martini celebrates 30 years since their musical debut in 2024. A perfect blend of Latin, jazz, pop and classical influences, for a unique evening at the Royal Albert Hall.