Back in 2020, Peckham-based photographer Brynley Odu Davies began taking a series of portraits of fellow south London artists. As the project grew bigger and the Instagram posts gained more attention, Davies travelled across the UK and continued to document what became a richly diverse archive of contemporary working artists shaping the emerging art world, this time in their own studios and spaces. 

Now, Guts Gallery is paying homage to these portraits with a two-part group exhibition. Accompanied by Davies’ newly published debut photography book Artists (published by Trolley Books), NEW NOW displays images from the series in the east London gallery’s HQ.

The central focus of Davies’ photography is realism and intimacy. Often taken in natural light with little to no editing, Davies’ portraits are clean and classic, aiming to capture the absolute essence of their subject. They tell the story of an artist in that specific moment in time, both in their life and their artistic career.

“I think there’s a lot of value in photographs and what they represent to people,” Davies told Dazed earlier this year, reflecting on the relevance of his series. “A good picture can serve as a memory of something that’s close to you, it can remind you of how you looked when you were younger, but it can also be a testament to the long-lasting impact of your efforts, actions and decisions, like in the case of these portraits.”

Davies’ project exemplifies the power of community, creativity, and the shared vision of shaping the future of the UK’s art landscape. Through diverse representation and a heartfelt approach, it pays tribute to the young visionaries carving a new chapter in the history of the British art scene.

NEW NOW part 1 is opening at Guts Gallery HQ on the 1st December 2023, 6-9pm.

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