Brighton Photo Biennial - Alec Soth talks to Martin Parr

In this brilliant podcast from Daylight Magazine, Martin Parr interviews acclaimed photographer Alec Soth. As part of the Brighton Photo Biennial 2010, Soth was commissioned by Photoworks to be included in the exhibition "Strange and Familiar." For his contribution to the show, Soth collaborated with his daughter, Carmen, to produced a project titled "Brighton Picture Hunt," for which the father-daughter team explored and photographed the towns of Brighton & Hove.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few months you will be aware that Alec had some problems with his Visa and was denied permission to work in the UK. If you still don´t know what I´m talking its probably a good idea to have a read of this article in The Guardian to get up-to-speed. To put it simply, that he was barred from taking photographs is outrageous. Why are our border authorities curbing temporary visits by non-EU artists in this way? Thankfully Alec managed to sidestep this regulation in such a clever and inventive way. But then again, there are those that see this whole scenario in an entirely different light. Here is some food for thought from Foto 8 on Twitter:

@Foto8 Soth commission wasn't free. Did his daughter earn it? Not according to " the customs official", What happened to those public thousands?

@Foto8 Alex Soth Brighton tale smells bogus... 2 yrs jail, work permit, 7 yr old, vernacular photography. What says public funded BPB? Mr Parr??

@Foto8 How can picture of Brighton be vernacular if the indigenous photographer is not asked to shoot them.#bogusphotospeak

@Foto8 So apparently its ok to pay a seven year old child labourer in UK and not a commissioned artist? If no pay then customs law is rubbish.

@Foto8 Firstly why does Brighton need to be shot by Soth and secondly how does his daughter not break the same bogus law?

"Independent, outspoken, unfettered" reads the descriptor on their Twitter account profile. Good on them.

It´s official! Martin Parr to curate BPB 2010!

Martin Parr, the internationally respected photographer and curator, has been appointed Guest Curator for Brighton Photo Biennial's fourth edition, taking place in October and November 2010.

Martin Parr said, "I am looking forward to having the opportunity, through Brighton Photo Biennial, to share some of my passion for photography by exhibiting some recent finds of new work. I also want to build on the success of the last Biennial by focusing more on placing shows within Brighton & Hove and making the event a centre of dialogue and discovery."

Helen Cadwallader, Executive Director of Brighton Photo Biennial said, "I am absolutely delighted that Martin has accepted our invitation to curate BPB 2010. Myself, the Biennial team and the Biennial partners are really looking forward to working with Martin and the exciting possibilities this presents."

Since 2003, Brighton Photo Biennial has established itself as one of the most important celebrations of international photography in Europe delivering a series of challenging and stimulating events for both the general public and art specialists. The Biennial is a partnership organisation and works with a diverse and exciting range of galleries, visual arts organisations and educational institutions in the city of Brighton & Hove and in cities and venues across the South East region.

Brighton Photo Biennial runs a continuous education programme that is active during and between Biennials, creating grass roots projects with local communities, artists and individuals.

Please refer to the BPB 2010 press release on the bpb website.