Peckham 24, the photography festival that began a decade ago on the fringe of Photo London, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a special edition titled 'The Eras Edition'. Founded by artist and curator duo Jo Dennis and Vivienne Gamble, the festival was created to highlight new talent in contemporary photography. The first edition was a 24-hour pop-up event, which gave the festival its name, bringing together emerging artists and galleries within the south London artistic scene.
Exploring Time Through Photography
Taking the anniversary as a starting point, the 10th edition of Peckham 24 explores photography through the lens of time. Time is intangible, but its traces are omnipresent; it is an illusion, yet it governs our lives; it facilitates growth, while inducing decay. The projects on display explore these multifaceted aspects of time.
Notable Exhibitions
Younist by Kristina Yenza is a documentary project exploring youth growing up in Ukraine during wartime. Rather than focusing on visible destruction, the work looks at how war settles into the background of everyday life, shaping gestures, relationships, and the way young people see themselves and their future. The images move between portraits and fragments: bodies, spaces, details and moments that suggest both presence and absence.
Hulala by Vinca Petersen features photographs, text and personal ephemera, exploring home and collectivity. Based in the heart of a rural community on the Scottish island of Skye, Petersen traces four years of change and upheaval, exploring the space between independence and living in community, strength and vulnerability, and old traditions and new rituals. Capturing everyday moments with poetic intimacy, the exhibition builds upon some of the values in her cult work No System, but from a new perspective.
The Tower Block by Max Ferguson documents the London College of Communication tower block building, which opened in Elephant and Castle in 1964. Since then tens of thousands of students have studied there. In 2027, LCC will move to a new building across the road. Working with the last cohorts of students to study in the iconic old building, Ferguson's work documents the end of an era.
Chasms by Julie F Hill is an ongoing series made by digitally processing raw data from space telescopes such as Hubble and the James Webb using scientific software. Various algorithmic functions are applied to visualise the data, a process Hill likens to a digital darkroom. The data is then sent through various physical and digital transformations in an attempt to explore the depths of deep space and time.
On Pugin by Mark Duffy closely surveys the ephemera and dirt of the carpets of the Houses of Parliament, inviting more detailed scrutiny of a nuanced mess. The series is named after Augustus Pugin, known for designing the interiors.
Landing by Maen Hammad is a collaborative project that is a deep dive into the world of Palestinian skateboarding and a manifesto on the interplay between skateboarding and liberation against architectures of control. Inspired by the profound connection between skateboarding and space, the work prods at the juxtaposition of violence and joy for young people in Palestine. Weaving Maen's personal narrative with the voices of Palestinian skaters, Landing provides an intimate lens into the everyday pursuit of freedom.
Chad Alexander, an artist from Northern Ireland, presents work revolving around the connections between people and their environments, exploring the tensions and harmonies between place and identity.
A Platform for New Talent
In the space of 10 years, Peckham 24 has established itself as a vital platform for new talent, offering artists the freedom to experiment with boundary-pushing work. Since its launch, the event has supported the careers of more than 200 photographic artists and has given many their first opportunity to exhibit to large international audiences in London.
Peckham 24 10th Anniversary The Eras Edition runs from 15 to 17 May at Copeland Park and the Bussey Building in London.
