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 below. Extensive information is available on Emily's website.
Research areas
Emily Andersen is an internationally recognized photographer. Her photographs are included in major public and private collections. Through broad ranging projects Andersen's practice explores themes of portraiture, the body, and place using both the still and moving image.
Andersen’s methodology explores performative aspects of the photographic portrait: how relationships between her subjects and/or between the sitter(s) and the photographer are revealed through the formalities of making photographs whose conception and material production counters the presumed immediacy of contemporary social media. Her recent 3-screen video installation Somewhere Else Entirely is an essay portrait of the American born writer and poet Ruth Fainlight. Andersen is making a feature film about Fainlight for exhibition in 2023.
There are conceptual and formal connections in Andersen's works with other photographers who also make intimate portraits that embody what has been called a 'Queer Gaze'. Referencing feminism and cinema, the "Gaze", whether male, female or queer, is unlocalisable; undefined as belonging to a particular body, a style, or a subjectivity independent of the collaborations between sitters and the artist herself.
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.
In 2023 her most recent book Another Place is published by LOWW.Co.Ltd in Tokyo, Japan.
Andersen is represented by LOWW gallery in Tokyo, Japan.
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.
2024 Andersen is published in A Queer History of Photography (photograph of Tracy Chapman with text) eds. Flora Dunster and Theo Gordon, Illex Press, UK and USA
2023 Andersen's portrait of Peter Blake: (Juliette) Liberty Blake; Daisy Blake; Rose Blake, National Portrait Gallery, London
2023 Andersen is making a feature film about the American-born writer and poet Ruth Fainlight (for exhibition in 2023)
2023 Another Place, unstandard Gallery with LOWW gallery, Fukuoka, Japan (solo show)
2023 Somewhere Else Entirely Bonington Gallery, Nottingham (solo show)
2023 Another Place BOOKMARC (Marc Jacobs gallery) Tokyo, Japan (solo show)
2023 Another Place LOWW Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (solo show)
2023 Another Place, 62 pp book published by LOWW.Co.Ltd
2021-23 Women in Arts and Culture, Zaha Hadid, Chanel Fund and the National Portrait Gallery at Chanel HQ, Time Life Building, London (group show)
2021-23 Portraying Presence, Women in Arts and Culture, Publication (photograph of Zaha Hadid), Chanel Fund and the National Portrait Gallery at Chanel HQ, Time Life Building, London
External activity
- 2023 - Mentoring photographers with the Association of Photographers and Redeye
- 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:
2023 Andersen's portrait of Peter Blake: (Juliette) Liberty Blake; Daisy Blake; Rose Blake, National Portrait Gallery, London
2023 Another Place, unstandard Gallery with LOWW gallery, Fukuoka, Japan (solo show)
2023 Somewhere Else Entirely Bonington Gallery, Nottingham (solo show)
2023 Another Place BOOKMARC (Marc Jacobs gallery) Tokyo, Japan (solo show)
2023 Another Place LOWW Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (solo show)
2023 Another Place, 62 pp book published by LOWW.Co.Ltd
2021-23 Women in Arts and Culture, (Photograph of Zaha Hadid), Chanel Fund and the National Portrait Gallery at Chanel HQ, Time Life Building, London
(group show)
2021-23 Portraying Presence, Women in Arts and Culture, Publication (photograph of Zaha Hadid), Chanel Fund and the National Portrait Gallery at Chanel HQ, Time Life Building, London
- 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:
- 2023 Commission from Bonington Gallery for Somewhere Else Entirely, 3-screen video installation about the writer and poet Ruth Fainlight
- 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 BOOKMARC gallery and LOWW gallery in Tokyo, 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:
- The Bonington Gallery
- 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
- LOWW gallery, Toky, Japan
- BOOKMARC gallery Tokyo, Japan
- Arts Council of England
- The National Lottery
- Millennium Commission, Millennium Award
- HotShoe Publishing Ltd (UK)
- Emotion Magazine (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
- 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
- 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)
- Notts TV
- BBC Radio Nottingham