On Wednesday the 9th November year 12 and 13 Art, Photography and Graphic A-level students went on a trip to London to visit two galleries. The first exhibition we visited was The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2022, now celebrating fifteen years, it is the leading international competition, celebrating and promoting the very best in contemporary photography. Students were given the task of choosing their favourite photograph and discussing and writing down what they liked about it and why which led to some great discussions and enthusiasm as well as inspiration and ideas for their own work.

We then walked through the sunny and stylish shop lined streets of Chelsea to the Saatchi gallery where we visited The New Black Vanguard exhibition of Photography between Art and Fashion and featuring 15 of the most influential Black fashion photographers working today. In this exhibition, curator Antwaun Sargent addresses a radical transformation taking place in fashion and art. Students were led on a guided tour of the exhibition and enjoyed looking at the varied works and discussing them with our guide.

Following lunch, students had time to take photographs and tour London exploring places that appealed to them and their own direction of their personal studies and coursework. The students thoroughly enjoyed the day and discussions about the work have continued in class with students now exploring numerous ways that they will show the influence and ideas from the exhibition in their own work.