The Photographers’ Gallery Print Sales Room
Downstairs at the Photographers’ Gallery is the Print Sales Room. It does what the name suggests and hosts temporary displays of 15 or more high quality prints for sale by a rotating roster of acclaimed photographers, some British, some foreign, some up and coming, some internationally famous. Here’s the full list of photographers they represent:
For two months or so each photographer gets a display of their work for sale and visitors to the Gallery get to see selections of outstanding work from around the world. I should mention that, unlike the rest of the Gallery, admission to Print Room (down the stairs past the shop) is FREE. And also warn you that the cost of these high quality limited edition prints by top photographers is eye-watering, generally starting at £1,500 plus VAT.
Raúl Cañibano
The Print Sales Room is currently hosting a display of 16 wonderful photos by Cuban photographer Raúl Cañibano, a dazzling overview of his 30-year-long career.
Villa Clara by Raúl Cañibano (2019) Courtesy of the artist and The Photographers’ Gallery
Born in 1961 in Havana, Cañibano received no art school education or photography training, indeed he started work as a welder. Cañibano’s photographic journey began in 1984 when he visited relatives on the eastern side of the island and met a teacher with his own dark room. The smell of the chemicals and the excitement of watching the prints develop got him hooked.
Chambas, Cuba by Raúl Cañibano (2017) Courtesy of the artist and The Photographers’ Gallery
With no formal training, Cañibano learned what he could from the art books at Cuba’s National Library and developed a style of Cuban surrealism. This is most obvious in the shots which play with scales, often contrasting extreme close-ups of foreground objects with objects in the distance. The result is everyday scenes which somehow take on a surreal and comic tone. He is quoted as saying:
‘I think Surrealism is very poetic, and perhaps for that reason my work has something of a mystical feeling.’
And so photos like this:
Habana by Raúl Cañibano (2006) Courtesy of the artist and The Photographers’ Gallery
Three other things about his work. One is his obvious feel for ordinary working class people, the class he came from. All the photos feel like he is at one with his subjects, ordinary people walking by the beach, swimming, sitting in cafés. According to the wall label, he has travelled extensively across the country, often living with his subjects for months at a time until they feel completely at ease around him.
Malecón Habanero, Cuba by Raúl Cañibano (1994) Courtesy of the artist and The Photographers’ Gallery
The second obvious thing is they’re all black and white. If you think about it for a moment, most images we see of Cuba are fabulously colourful, for example, vivid snaps of the brightly painted houses and the fabulous retro automobiles they’ve retained. Cañibano deliberately rejects this tourist approach, possibly for a number of reasons, but one of them is it makes the images more democratic. All angles, all subjects are equal. Although the most obvious aspect of using black and white is it makes your images look classic and timeless.
According to the curators, Cañibano has used both film and, more recently, digital cameras, interchangeably. There is, then, scope for a little game where you try to identify which shot is digital, and which one is analogue. But the immediate effect of all black and white photos is to create a classic effect, and evoke a sense of nostalgia for the old black-and-white world before the deluge of digital camera and smartphones drowned the world in garish images.
The third thing that comes over is Cañibano’s terrific sense of humour. A lot of these photos are very funny, and all of them have a positive, happy vibe. If you’re anywhere near Oxford Street, do yourself a favour and pop into this FREE display for ten minutes of happiness.
Dog Jumping by Raúl Cañibano (2013) Courtesy of the artist and The Photographers’ Gallery
Related link
- Raúl Cañibano: Human Landscapes continues at the Photographers Gallery Print Sales room until 7 April 2024
- Gallery of Cañibano’s works in the exhibition
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