Role
Emily Andersen is a Lecturer in Photography and is responsible for teaching Critical practice and Visual practice, and for supervising MA and PhD students.
Career overview
Emily is interested in supervising doctoral research proposals. Please see the research and scholarly and professional interests section above. Extensive information is available on Emily's website.
Research areas
Emily Andersen is an internationally recognized photographer. Her black and white and colour photographs are included in major public and private collections. Through broad ranging projects Andersen's practice explores themes of portraiture, the body, and architecture using both still and moving image.
Her research is informed by techniques and materials employed in making photographs, as well as the historical and current philosophical debates around photographic representation.
Emily Andersen is concerned with photography’s ability to convey ‘the real’, and the documentary quality of the photographic image. Her research is informed by Bertolt Brecht’s suggestion that the documentary image can never offer true understanding of the conditions of our complex modern reality.
Andersen’s photographic portraiture explores the psychological relations between people, often depicting pairs; friends, sisters, fathers, daughters and lovers. She has photographed many well-known people including; Michael Nyman, Eduardo Paolozzi, Peter Blake, Zaha Hadid, Bella Freud and Stephen Frears. These photographs and others are in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Andersen’s monograph Portraits: Black and White was published by Anomie Publishers, London in 2018.This book contributes to the contribution Andersen has made to photographic portraiture. Her directness in capturing the essence of the sitter, particularly with original portraits of women is recognised.
Current projects
- 2021 Andersen in conversation with Sunil Gupta at The Art House Wakefield
- 2021 Museum in Modern Times, Charles Saumarez-Smith (photograph of Nicholas Serota) Thames and Hudson, UK and USA.
- 2020 AHRA Housing and the City Exhibition, Housing and the City Conference. 17th Annual International Conference of the Architectural Humanities Research Association, Nottingham University. (2 person show)
- 2020 This May Be a Series Nottingham City Library. (solo show)
- 2020 Guts Gallery Begin Again online exhibition, Revenue for the Free Black University
- 2020 G Stands for Go-Betweens Anthology Vol 2 Exclusive Box set (photograph) Domino Records.
- 2019 Portraits: Black and White book launch and exhibition, Dzialdov Gallery, Berlin. (solo show)
- 2019 The 209 Women photographs were bought by the Houses of Parliament for their permanent collection.
- 2018 Portraits: Black and White book launch and exhibition, Nottingham City Library (solo show)
- 2018/19 Emily was invited to take part in the project 209 Women, 209 female photographers photographed 209 women MPs. Andersen chose to photograph Ruth Smeeth, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent North.
- The 209 Women Exhibition opened in Portcullis House London and toured to the Liverpool Open Eye Gallery. (group show)
Bluecoat Press published the book. - 2018 Portraits: Black and White book launch and exhibition Tintype Gallery, London. (solo show)
- 2018 Exhibition 30 Artists 30 prints, collaboration with Lotte Andersen,December 2018. Riposte in Aid of Amnesty International 70th Anniversary of the declaration of human rights. Coal Drop Yard, London. (group show)
- 2018 Portraits: Black and White, book launch and exhibition Nottingham Trent University, London
- In 2017, Emily exhibited at the Shanghai International Photographic Art Exhibition (group show), China Arts Museum. She also exhibited in Berlin in Why Not Hug The Strangers - Dzialdov Gallery Exhibition. (group show)
- In 2017, Andersen’s photograph of Eduardo and Anna Paolozzi from the National Portrait Gallery Collection was selected to promote the Sir John Soane’s Museum, London bid for Museum of the year.
- In 2016 and 2017, Andersen’s photograph of Loretta Napoleoni was used for her books ISIS: The Terror Nation and Merchants of Men.
External activity
- 2021 - Andersen in conversation with Sunil Gupta at The Art House Wakefield
- 2019 - 2020 - AOP review panel for assistants
- 2018 – current: Visiting lecturer at the Architectural Association, London
- 2018 – current: Member of the Royal Photographic Society
- 2014: Teaching visit at Tsinghua University, Beijing
- 2013: Revalidation of Kingston University BA Photography course.
- 1998 – 2008: Trustee for the Organisation of Visual Arts (OVA). The organisation curates exhibitions and publishes artist's catalogues internationally. Since 2009 OVA is based at INIVA (Institute of International Visual Arts)
- 2010: writer for a regular column for Photography Monthly called Emily's people. Published by Archant and online at Photography Monthly
- 2010: Baking with Passion by Dan Lepard and Richard Whittington (23 illustrations) Quadrille Publishing, London
- 2010: Disgusting Bliss: The Brass Eye of Chris Morris by Lucian Randall (2 illustrations) Simon and Schuster Ltd
- 2009: James Joyce Literary supplement. Marilyn French (1 illustration)University of Miami, Vol 23, No 2.
- 1996 – current: Member of the Association of Photographers
Recent solo and group exhibitions include:
- 2020: AHRA Housing and the City Exhibition, Housing and the City Conference. 17th Annual International Conference of the Architectural Humanities Research Association, Nottingham University. (2 person show)
- 2020: This May Be a Series, Nottingham City Library. (solo show)
- 2020: Guts Gallery Begin Again online exhibition, Revenue for the Free Black University. (group show)
- 2019: Portraits: Black and White book launch and exhibition, Dzialdov Gallery, Berlin. (solo show)
- 2019: The 209 Women photographs were bought by the Houses of Parliament for their permanent collection.
- 2018: Portraits: Black and White book launch and exhibition, Nottingham City Library (solo show)
- 2018/19: Emily was asked to take part in the project 209 Women, 209 female photographers photographed 209 women MPs. Andersen photographed Ruth Smeeth, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent North.
209 Women exhibition opened in Portcullis House London and travelled to the Liverpool Open Eye Gallery.(group show)
Bluecoat Press published a book of the project. - 2018: Portraits: Black and White book launch and exhibition Tintype Gallery, London (solo show)
- 2018: Exhibition 30 Artists 30 prints, collaboration with Lotte Andersen,December 2018. Riposte in Aid of Amnesty International 70th Anniversary of the declaration of human rights. Coal Drop Yard, London. (group show)
- 2018: Portraits: Black and White, book launch and exhibition Nottingham Trent University, London (solo show)
- 2017: Andersen’s photograph of Eduardo and Anna Paolozzi from the National Portrait Gallery Collection was selected to promote the Sir John Soane’s Museum, London bid for Museum of the year.
- 2017: Shanghai International Photographic Art Exhibition, China Arts Museum (group show)
- 2017: Why Not Hug The Strangers, Dzialdov Gallery Exhibition, Berlin (group show)
- 2015: In Place Of Architecture, Bonington Gallery, Nottingham Trent University (group show)
- 2015: Still there, Literatur Moths Gallery, Munich, Germany (solo show)
- 2014: Train (film), One Minute Film Festival:10 Years, Mass MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) USA. (group show)
- 2013: A Photograph is Not an Opinion - Contemporary Photography by women. Focus, Terrace Gallery (Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda) Mumbai, India. (group show)
- 2013: She-Bop-a-lula. At the Dimbola Gallery, Isle of Wight, UK. (group show)
- 2010: Great Composers from Elgar to Ades, National Portrait Gallery (Judith Weir) (group show)
- 2009: Paradise lost and Found, Trinkkurhalle Timmendorferstrand Germany (solo show)
- 2008: Contextuality, Mumford Fine Art (solo show)
- 2008: Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (group show)
Recent funding include:
- 2018 and 2019: Two sabbaticals from Nottingham Trent University
- 2009: National Lottery Fund through the Arts Council of England for book publication
- 2002 – 2003: Millennium Award, Millennium Commission for exhibition Birds Eye View
Sponsors and collaborators
Emily Andersen's photography has been published and exhibited internationally. She has exhibited at The Royal Academy, The Institute of Contemporary Art, and The Photographer's Gallery in London. The Institute Francais d'Ecosse in Edinburgh, the Impressions Gallery York, the Ikon in Birmingham The Maison de Photo in Montreal, and The Museum of Contemporary Photography in Ottawa Canada. She has won the John Kobal prize for innovative portraiture, and her portraits are in the permanent collection of The National Portrait Gallery in London.
Emily has recently been sponsored by and collaborated with:
- Arts Council of England
- The National Lottery
- Millennium Commission, Millennium Award
- HotShoe Publishing Ltd (UK)
- Emotion Magazine (Germany)
- Prestel Publishers (UK and Germany)
- Simon and Schuster Publishers (UK)
- Quadrille Publishers (UK)
- Harper Collins Publishers (UK)
- Rockport Publishers (USA)
- "Intelligent Life" The Economist Magazine (UK )
- "Intelligent Life" Lithuanian edition (Lithuania)
- Photography Monthly, Archant Publishing (UK)
- National Portrait Gallery, London
- Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh
- Association of Photographers
- Image Magazine (UK)
- Technical University, Munich
- Technical University, Berlin (Architecture gallery)
- Trinkkurhalle,Timmendorferstrand, Germany
- University of Miami
- Gabriela Switek, writer, curator and art historian
- Domus Magazine (Italy)
- Digital Photographer (UK)
- Pozytyw magazine (Poland)
- Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany)
- Diamanda Galás
- Dzialdov Gallery (Berlin)
- Tintype Gallery (London)
- Anomie Publishing
- Melanie Mues Design
- Jonathan P. Watts contemporary art critic and writer
- Liverpool Open Eye Gallery
- Bloodaxe Books (UK)
- Literatur Moths (Munich)
- The Houses of Parliament collection
- Lensculture.com
- Leftlion.co.uk
- Widewalls.ch
- BBC Radio London 94.9 Robert Elms show
- Thames and Hudson (UK and USA)
- Domino Records (London and New York)
- The Art House, Wakefield.
- Robert Elms show BBC radio 2018
- National Portrait Gallery
Publications
- 2021. Museum in Modern Times, Charles Saumarez-Smith (photograph of Nicholas Serota) Thames and Hudson, UK and USA.
- 2020: Death of a Mermaid [photograph], Lesley Thomson, Head of Zeus
- 2020 G Stands for Go-Betweens Anthology Vol 2 Exclusive Box set (photograph) Domino Records, London and New York.
- 2019: 209 Women. Bluecoat Press, Liverpool
- 2019: The Playground [photograph], Lesley Thomson, Head of Zeus
- 2018: Mud Girl in collaboration with Lotte Andersen. NiiJournal, London
- 2018: Nominated for RPS 100 Heroines by the Royal Photographic Society
- 2018: 100 Heroines Instagram takeover
- 2018: Association of Photographers interview, September
- 2018: LeftLion interview, November
- 2018: Widewalls interview, October
- 2018: Hunger TV Magazine, October
- 2018: Robert Elms interview BBC Radio London 94.9 October 19 at 10.30
- 2018: Lensculture Politics in Portraiture
- 2018: Feature in Royal Photographic Society Journal, In Focus, Volume 158, November
- 2018: Press for Portraits: Black and White by Pelham Communications Art PR Agency. London and New York
- 2018: Somewhere else entirely (front cover and author photograph). Ruth Fainlight, Bloodaxe books, Hexham
- 2018: 30 Artists 30 Prints in collaboration with Lotte Andersen, Riposte in Aid of Amnesty International 70th Anniversary of the declaration of human rights. London.
- 2018: Portraits: Black and White including an essay by Jonathan P. Watts. Anomie Publishing, Swindon UK.
- 2018: The Death Chamber [photograph], Lesley Thomson, Head of Zeus.
- 2017: Peter Blake with his daughters [photograph], Catalogue “At work with Peter Blake” at Frieze Masters. Waddington Custot.
- 2017: The Dog Walker [photograph], Lesley Thomson, Head of Zeus.
- 2017: Eduardo and Anna Paolozzi [photograph], from the NPG Collection, used to promote Sir John Soane's Museum, London bid Museum of the Year.
- 2017: Loretta Napoleoni [photograph], ISIS: The Terror Nation. (USA: Seven Stories Press and Penguin Random House, New York, Australia, Italy, Denmark, UK, Spain and Germany)
- 2016: Loretta Napoleoni [photograph], Merchants of Men (USA: Seven Stories Press and Penguin Random House, New York, Australia, Italy, Denmark, UK, Spain and Germany)
- 2016: The House with no room [photograph], Lesley Thomson, Head of Zeus.
- 2015: Lucian Freud [photograph], Naked Portrait on a Red Sofa Dedicated Catalogue for Muse sale 3789 Christies New York - November.
- 2014: Ghost Girl [photograph], Lesley Thomson, Head of Zeus.
- 2013: A kind of Vanishing [photograph], Lesley Thomson, Myriad editions.
- 2013: The Detective's daughter [photograph], Lesley Thomson. Head of Zeus.
- 2012: Marie-Claire, September, illustration and interview. G and V at Home: China, p. 172.
- 2012: She-Bop-a-Lula 2012, Group exhibition catalogue, illustration and interview, The Strand Gallery, London. 7 March to April 1,Pp16-17.
- 2011: Photography Monthly, Emily's people [photographs, articles and column]
- 2011: “My best shot” Emily Andersen's best shot [photograph and interview] The Guardian (G2 Section) (26 September 2011), p. 23. London [online]
- 2011: “My best shot” Emily Andersen's best shot [photograph and interview] [online], http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/sep/25/photography-emily-andersen-best-shot
- 2010: Photography Monthly, "Emily's People", monthly column from April (Archant Specialist publ.)
- 2010: Disgusting Bliss: The Brass Eye of Chris Morris, by Lucian Randall, Simon and Schuster, pp132/133
- 2010: Baking with Passion, by Dan Lepard and Richard Whittington, 23 ill., Quadrille
- 2009: The Jackson Twins, Intelligent Life (The Economist), Lithuanian edition, December, p55
- 2009: Matchbox magazine, online review
- 2009: Artdesk.com, best photographic book 2009 for Paradise Lost & Found; theartsdesk.com
- 2009: Paradise Lost & Found, book launch, Hotshoe Publications / Mumford Fine Arts, London
- 2009: Hotshoe Magazine, Aug/Sep 09, p4 text, essay / pp30-39, 5 ill.
- 2009: Intelligent Life, The Economist, London, Sep 09, p65, ill. & text
- 2008: Digital Photography, London, Aug 08, pp62-65, 4 ill. & interview
- 2008: Matchbox Magazine, June 08, ill. & interview
- 2007: Nottingham Trent University Postgraduate prospectus
- 2007: Image Magazine, Nov 07, p18, ill. & text
- 2007: Emotion Magazine, Jul 07, pp 36-43, 9 ill. & text
- 2007: Travels of a Bothy Boy, cover illustration; Potting Shed Publications, England (author R.J. Corbin)
- 2007: Baker and Spice - Exceptional cakes, Quadrille Publishing Ltd, London; 17 pages ill. and inside front cover; (authors: D. Lepard and R. Whittington) London