The Savannah College of Art and Design was proud to present work by alumnus Shine Huang (M.F.A., photography, 2017) and faculty members Josh Jalbert and V. Elizabeth Turk at Photo London, the U.K.’s premier photo fair, at Somerset House, from May 12–15. Deemed “the UK photography event of the year” by The Guardian, Photo London brings the finest international photography to the British capital every year.

Exhbitions Photo London Elizabeth Turk
“SCAD is thrilled to present the work of these preeminent artists to the world at Photo London 2022,” said SCAD chair of photography Michael James O’Brien. “We realize, more than ever, how relevant visual culture becomes during challenging times and how important it is to gather with the international arts community at Somerset House. Spotlighting the materiality of photography, we present three artists who each practice very contemporary approaches to historical processes, where gestures are tangible and made physical rather than ephemeral. These works highlight the unique SCAD photography program, which covers creative practices from the 19th century to the metaverse.”

Delimiting their palettes to grayscale or sepia, the exhibiting SCAD artists offer abstract and figurative contemplations on the possibilities of the hand-made within the photographic medium, creating striking compositions that engage themes like time, nature, identity, and the body.

Huang’s series Interstellar is a meditation on his Chinese heritage. Articulating culture through materials and processes, he uses ground rice to create contact prints that render complex abstractions of the solar system. The prints are presented in a circular format in square framing, evoking ancient Chinese beliefs in a square Earth and round sky.

Jalbert’s practice is rooted in the elements of photography, namely light and chemical reaction. Rather than using a lens or film, the artist makes sumptuous and abstract black-and-white works that depict perceptions and experiences of the natural world through traditional photographic chemicals and photo paper.

Turk uses the Van Dyke photogram process to explore human nature through the potential of light and shadow. Her life-sized silhouettes are rendered from natural materials that mimic skin, veins, organs, and bones, producing hybrid humans where the figure is present but fleeting.

All three artists represent the dynamic SCAD photography degree program, which is one of the most popular degree programs at the university. SCAD students learn classical practices as well as innovative next-generation digital technologies. Photography alumni work at leading companies including Amazon, Google, and The National Portrait Gallery, and have images featured in top- tier publications and platforms such as Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Glamour, and CNN. SCAD Art Sales offers distinctive design and curatorial services — from acquisition to installation — to a global clientele of collectors, design professionals, brands, and more.

To learn more about SCAD’s participation at Photo London, visit scad.edu/photo-london.