Fishbar

It was early 2009 when Olivia and I were talking about the state of the photography industry and how traditional platforms for photographers to show their work were rapidly disappearing (eg. Magazines). Besides this, there were too few spaces in London that showed serious photography in a thoughtful way which also offered photographers and general audiences a place to discover and engage with photography. So we decided to do something about it. Right from the beginning we were very conscious about wanting to reach a wide audience, so having a high street shop really worked for us. At first we wanted to get into publishing, but we knew that our books would only reach a tiny audience, but combining what we do with a shop would be a way of broadening our reach.

Chloe Dewe Mathews, Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin (Chopped Liver Press), Lorenzo Vitturi, Paolo Pellegrin, Morel Books, Laura Pannack, Trolley Books,Here Press, Oodee, Magnum Bookshop, Self Publish Be Happy and Little Brown Mushroom.

Though our friends and fellow photographers and by being active in the world of photography. We are always on the lookout for new interesting and less-well known work. Also, we always try and find unusual ways to show the work. Being a small space we have to be a bit innovative to make the exhibitions impactful. In the past we have used lightboxes, a room full of posters, projections, and a portable market stall.

Occasionally, hopefully more so the future. However we are very involved in each others photography, right from the moment of conceiving ideas, during the process and through to the editing stages.

We are publishing Philipp's first book about Germany in Spring and the first book of American photographer Eric Gottesmann, Sudden Flowers, with some amazing and unusual work from Ethiopia (both bodies of work will be on show at the gallery as well). We also have plans to travel with Fishbar, next year for instance, we want to do 'Fishbar goes to India' and collaborate with some Indian photographers over there.