40 Years On

Last night my exhibition ’40 Years On’ launched the magnificent, the UK’s largest and most democratic photographic festival, PHOTOMONTH.

Bangladesh High Commisioner, Chris Smith & Phil Maxwell. 'East' exhibition. Spitz gallery Spitalfields 1997.

In 1997 my Photomonth exhibition was launched by the then Minister for Culture & Media Chris Smith.

I’ve had a show in this festival each year since it began so I was delighted when Maggie Pinhorn of Alternative Arts asked me to kick this years still larger festival off with my retrospective ’40 Years On’.

The opening of 'East' in Sylhet. Bangladesh 1996

‘East’ was first shown in Sylhet, Bangladesh with the support of the Kothakaly Arts Group. Shortly after the exhibition was officially opened the power failed but was kept going with candles handed out to all the guests.

Most of my PHOTOMONTH exhibitions have been in real rather that cyber space. However I have to confess as a veteran of organising exhibitions in real spaces (with the direction & assistance of Hazuan Hashim) that a considerable proportion of my shows have been ‘online’ in recent years.

Thanks to Rossana Leal, Andrew Grainger, Lohan Emmanuel and Stefan Dickers for making this years show happen!

Pictures of the opening will appear in tomorrows post if I can persuade a few friends to send me some….