Tim Walker Exhibition Somerset House

Report On Tim Walker ‘Story Teller’

Tim Walkers fantastic fantasy world is full of dream like images with boundless originality. This is currently showing at Somerset house in London. The photographer is known for his descriptive fairytales included within his images- ‘Day Dreams into Photographs’. His images appear to be told through the world of childhood and this exhibition emphasis the magical sense of the larger than life.

The beautiful white charming walls set the perfect scene for the fairytale adventure to begin. The presence of the life size props in relation to the photographs gives an aspect of a theatrical experience. The layout of the exhibition makes you feel like you’re floating through, exploring the next corner of Tim Walkers wonderful imagination.

The genre of this exhibition is completely uplifting sending us into a feeling of nostalgia as if we’re a child once again, looking at the images within our favourite bedtime story. ‘Very often there’s a kind of nostalgia built into a photograph by virtue of you talking it. You’ve taken the photograph and its immediately a thing of the past the moment you press the shutter’

The oversized props include spitfires, insects playing instruments, white swan boats, skeletons all used to increase the sense of wonder. The gallery itself seemed overpowered by the acclaimed props such as the large-scale doll looming over the exit door. These oversized creations appear to be integral within his photographic story where as his portraits offer an entirely different perspective. Furthermore the portraits tend to illustrate a sharp, defined and distinct focus on his subject however, included is usually a Tim Walker twist within styling, presenting a comical appearance.

I found the exhibition to be very informative including descriptions by every piece, along with the added quotes from Tim Walker in a beautiful font, positioned strategically around the exhibit, in a unique fashion on the historical simplistic white walls. I thought the idea of having Tim Walkers quotes around the exhibit was an immensely good idea, as this gives you an insight within the whimsical mind of Walker. The quotes tended to be complex comments, mainly based upon perceptions, leaving you questioning the meaning and making relations to your self.

Walker’s work includes some of the biggest names in the creative industry. Alexander McQueen, Helena Bonham Carter, Agyness Deyn. Everyone wants to grab a sense of the forever fairy tale experience. I believe that’s the appealing aspect to most viewers of Walkers work. It’s almost like an allusion ‘ pictures that should be impossibly to construct’ are being created, and for real. No photoshop to create his magical aspects, which makes it ever so hard to interpret as reality. Possibly the idea of childhood again- the ability to believe, growing up can mean knowing too much, forgetting the possibilities that can be created.

Overall I really enjoyed this exhibition and was really suspired that the admission was free, I would have definitely paid to see the wonderful fantasy world of walker. Opens your eyes and makes you visit the possibilities through the innocent world of childhood.