Polaroid: Exp. 09.10.09 at the Atlas Gallery

On Thursday I visited the Atlas Gallery in Marylebone to view the exhibition: Polaroid: Exp. 09.10.09. As many people know due to Polaroid UK going into administration earlier this year the company stopped producing their iconic instant film, the last of which expired on 9th October 2009. In light of such a pioneering company closing its doors the Atlas Gallery have acquired hundreds of Polaroid’s from artists all over the world and have picked the best to display in this somewhat landmark exhibition officially marking the end of an era in modern photography.
Like many I too own a Polaroid camera which I bought when I was about 14. I remember getting it home and being so excited by the concept of instant photography continually playing with it and experimenting. Thinking about it now this is probably how I came to love photography so much. So for reasons of great nostalgia if nothing else I was very excited to go and have a look.
Featuring 76 original Polaroid s taken by an array of amazing artists such as Andy Warhol, Peter Blake and Marc Quinn I was also delighted to see the work of many photographers I admire such as David Bailey, Helmut Newton and Rankin. Favourite Polaroid’s included:
Andy Warhol’s ‘Self Portrait in Drag’, 1981:

David Bailey’s ‘Fenton Bailey’, 2005 and ‘Swinger’, 2008:

Helmut Newton’s ‘Sylvia in my Studio, Paris’, 1981:

André Kertész’s ‘May 24 Tricycle’, 1979 and ‘January’, 1979:

Polaroid: Exp. 09.10.09 is showing at the Atlas Gallery until 28 November.

All images are copyright of the individual artists and their estates.