Photo Oxford's fifth edition has kicked off in a way that is anything but conventional. The first venue I arrived at was Maison Française, where an exhibition had been set up, only to find it closed. Perhaps Roland Barthes' words "in order to see a photograph well, it is best to look away" held some truth here.
However, I soon discovered that the show outside, featuring Michael Christopher Brown's 90 Miles, was not to be missed. Brown's use of AI as a medium drew parallels with draftsmen creating illustrations for newspapers before photography. By using eyewitness accounts and historical reportage as prompts, he created images such as those of figures warped and distorted on a vintage Cuban car in the turbulent ocean, an unsettling representation of the harsh reality faced by Cubans fleeing to Florida.
Meanwhile, at Old Fire Station, emotions ran high with psychologically charged works by Lydia Goldblatt, Jenny Lewis, and Heather Agyepong. Their use of powerful images evoked feelings of rage, pain, and confinement, speaking to their own experiences with loneliness, suffering, and identity.
In contrast, a solo exhibition by Timon Benson at Maison Française presented a more experimental approach to portraiture. His pictures were soft-spoken, watery-eyed, as he sought to translate feeling into photography through unconventional methods such as luminograms, where paper is exposed directly to light. While the work may not have held together yet, it was evident that Benson's intentions were sincere.
Haley Morris-Cafiero's What Does An Ideal Employee Look Like? also drew attention at Maison Française with its absurd corporate-style headshots, which poked fun at AI-generated images of ideal employees. However, the work also touched on a sinister side of surveillance and control.
Finally, it was Phil Polglaze's show that stole the spotlight – 74 photographs of public toilets in London, captured in black and white between 1979 and 1996. These were not your typical snapshots; they were part of a monumental archive created to aid men accused of gross indecency after cottaging. The photographs revealed not only the dangers but also the poignant history behind the use of such spaces as a means for members of the LGBTQ+ community to connect with one another.
Photo Oxford's fifth edition was an unforgettable event that brought together works showcasing raw emotion, experimentation, and historical significance.
However, I soon discovered that the show outside, featuring Michael Christopher Brown's 90 Miles, was not to be missed. Brown's use of AI as a medium drew parallels with draftsmen creating illustrations for newspapers before photography. By using eyewitness accounts and historical reportage as prompts, he created images such as those of figures warped and distorted on a vintage Cuban car in the turbulent ocean, an unsettling representation of the harsh reality faced by Cubans fleeing to Florida.
Meanwhile, at Old Fire Station, emotions ran high with psychologically charged works by Lydia Goldblatt, Jenny Lewis, and Heather Agyepong. Their use of powerful images evoked feelings of rage, pain, and confinement, speaking to their own experiences with loneliness, suffering, and identity.
In contrast, a solo exhibition by Timon Benson at Maison Française presented a more experimental approach to portraiture. His pictures were soft-spoken, watery-eyed, as he sought to translate feeling into photography through unconventional methods such as luminograms, where paper is exposed directly to light. While the work may not have held together yet, it was evident that Benson's intentions were sincere.
Haley Morris-Cafiero's What Does An Ideal Employee Look Like? also drew attention at Maison Française with its absurd corporate-style headshots, which poked fun at AI-generated images of ideal employees. However, the work also touched on a sinister side of surveillance and control.
Finally, it was Phil Polglaze's show that stole the spotlight – 74 photographs of public toilets in London, captured in black and white between 1979 and 1996. These were not your typical snapshots; they were part of a monumental archive created to aid men accused of gross indecency after cottaging. The photographs revealed not only the dangers but also the poignant history behind the use of such spaces as a means for members of the LGBTQ+ community to connect with one another.
Photo Oxford's fifth edition was an unforgettable event that brought together works showcasing raw emotion, experimentation, and historical significance.
The way it defied expectations and pushed boundaries is literally insane! I mean, who closes up a whole exhibit and then just sets up an amazing outdoor show instead? 
Roland Barthes would be proud, right? 
And can we talk about Michael Christopher Brown's use of AI in his art? Mind. Blown.
And Haley Morris-Cafiero's absurd corporate headshots had me LOLing! 
Overall, Photo Oxford 2025 was an unforgettable experience that left me feeling inspired and energized! 
I'm still reeling from the photography exhibition at Photo Oxford! The way they showcased such diverse works, each pushing boundaries in its own way... it's like my mind is blown 
And Phil Polglaze's 74 photographs of public toilets in London? Wow, what a hidden gem! The historical significance behind those pics is just... *chef's kiss*. I'm still thinking about it 
. Can't wait to see what the rest of Photo Oxford has in store for us 
. And I have to say, that idea by Haley Morris-Cafiero about AI-generated images of ideal employees is both clever and unsettling 
. Can't help but wonder if we're playing with fire when it comes to using technology to create these images...
! i mean what even is a conventionally normal art show when you can have exhibits on AI in photography, solo shows on portraiture experimentation, and pics of public toilets in london? 
. timon benson's luminograms were hella trippy 
, lydia goldblatt's work was giving me LIFE 
, and phil polglaze's toilet pics... i mean what can you even say about that? 
it was like they took something super taboo and made it art, you know? 
anyway can't wait for the next photo oxford 
. But man, what they had outside with Michael Christopher Brown's work? That AI medium thingy is wild 
. The way he warped and distorted images to represent the harsh realities of Cubans fleeing Florida... it gave me chills 
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. Lydia Goldblatt, Jenny Lewis, and Heather Agyepong's works are so powerful, it felt like they were speaking straight to my soul 
. I loved how Timon Benson's use of luminograms added a new level to portraiture... even if his work wasn't quite there yet 
. But Phil Polglaze's public toilet photos were the real game-changer – that monumental archive is a treasure trove of history 
. All in all, Photo Oxford was an incredible event that showed us some crazy talent 
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That Maison Française show being closed right in front of your face? Come on! And don't even get me started on the logistics – one minute it's open, next minute it's shut down. Like, what's going on there?
. And those Cuban car pics were hauntingly beautiful. But hey, can't trust a show that's got you feeling all emotions, right? Maybe it's just some fancy PR stunt.
. Timon Benson's work was all meh to me... too weird, not weird enough. And Haley Morris-Cafiero's corporate headshots were more like awkward selfies than art. Not sure what to make of that one.
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. but anyway I stumble upon that Michael Christopher Brown solo and it was LIFE.CHANGING. those AI-generated pics were so deep, you could feel the pain and struggle of those people trying to escape Cuba 
. The way he uses AI to create these images that seem so real but are actually a commentary on the harsh realities of the world... it's just too convenient 
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have you ever noticed how these artists always seem to be exploring the darker side of human nature? It's like they're trying to prepare us for something 
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, can you believe that? But then I stumbled upon Michael Christopher Brown's 90 Miles outside and oh man, those AI-generated images are mind-blowing 
. They're like ancient draftsmen working with AI, it's trippy! On the other hand, Lydia Goldblatt, Jenny Lewis, and Heather Agyepong's works just broke my heart 
- they're so raw and honest. And then there was Phil Polglaze's 74 photographs of public toilets in London... I mean, who knew those could be so significant? It's amazing how art can bring history to life 
. Haley Morris-Cafiero's work about AI-generated ideal employees was especially thought-provoking 
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and it totally made me think about how photography is like that too - we look at these perfectly framed, edited images and sometimes forget to actually see the world around us. I mean, I was trying to get some photos for my own art project and I ended up getting lost in the crowd because everyone had their phone out... meanwhile, someone took a photo of me and it's just perfect