Photo London 2018 and London Photography Auctions Report

Photo London's fourth edition took place at Somerset House until May 20, co-directed by Michael Benson and Fariba Farshad. Over 100 galleries from 18 nations exhibited, selected by a committee led by Philippe Garner, former Christie's director and International Head of Photographs. The 'Discovery' section returned for a second year, featuring 22 young galleries showcasing emerging artists. Special projects included a show on William Henry Fox Talbot with rare 1840s prints and a preview of Edward Burtynsky's 'Anthropocene' project. Italian galleries included Contrasto, Valeria Bella, Ncontemporary, Officine dell'Immagine, Podbielski Contemporary, 29 Arts in Progress, Galleria del Cembalo, Ilex Gallery, Spazio Nuovo, Matèria, Vision Quest, Pacy Contemporary, and Raffaella De Chirico Contemporary Art. Concurrently, The London Photograph Fair at King's College featured vintage photographs from 1840 to the 20th century. Christie's photography auction totaled £1,578,875; top lot was Robert Mapplethorpe's 'Ken Moody and Robert Sherman' (1984) at nearly £120,000. Nick Brandt's 'Elephant drinking, Amboseli' (2007) set a world record at £87,500. Sotheby's auction reached £1,307,250; top lot was Richard Avedon's 'Avedon/Paris' (1978) at £237,000. Phillips de Pury's top lot was Helmut Newton's 'Panoramic Nude with Gun, Villa D’Este' (1989) at £729,000.