Architectural photographer Richard Bryant offers his perspective of London in a photographic exhibition at Somerset House. Moving from the ‘bucolic West to the developing East’, the selection of images works its way across London, within the confines of Somerset House’s grandiose Terrace Rooms.
This particular photo essay of his native city was commissioned by a New York publisher – and the exhibition is a slimmed down taster of the book. Bryant presents a somewhat idealised, although not necessarily sanitised, portrait of his diverse city. The flavour of the images is more guidebook than photojournalism – the colours are somewhat heightened so that even drab greys look vibrant, and any people that appear are always optimally placed, such as the mum-with-pushchair mirroring the action of a banksy mural.
But his taste in subject matter is catholic – picking out obscure corners of the city such as the tucked away Dennis Severs house and a 50s caff in Lambeth – and rendering them inviting. The huge and beautifully clear prints lend an air of grace and calm to all his subjects, and as a Londoner, it is heart-warming to be reminded of what a visually rich city London can be.
Richard Bryant’s Greater London is on at Somerset House until 7 June
