Jem Southam "Clouds Descending" @ The Lowry

Image Copyright Jem Southam

Two great photography exhibitions on at The Lowry at the same time, brilliant! This one "Clouds Descending"http://www.thelowry.com/WhatsOn/EventDetail.aspx?EventId=3465 was especially commissioned for the gallery. The Lowry are good at this, using the work of L.S as a springboard for creating new work by artists. This time it was a chance for arguably the UK's leading landscape photographer Jem Southam to respond to the work of Mr Lowry.

I think it's fairly well known that when Lowry wasn't creating his painting's of Manchester/Salford streets he was to be found making some of the Twentieth century's greatest seascapes. To choose Southem to retrace Lowry's steps and create new work is a stroke of genius. Southem is renowned for choosing dull overcast light with which to make his work and this fits so nicely with the Lowry paintings that are displayed alongside Southams large format pictures. His placing of the horizon near to centre is also a nice tribute to Lowry.

The show is on until 22 March and I recommend you go see, It's the show area's photography show of the year for me.

PS here's an interview with Southam: http://www.seesawmagazine.com/southam_pages/southam_interview.html