The Royal Photographic Society’s Int. Print & Photomasters

The Royal Photographic Society’s International Print Exhibition (IPE 159), presented during PHOTOBLOCK at the Old Truman Brewery in October 2016, showcased a broad survey of contemporary photography from around the world. As the longest-running photographic exhibition of its kind, dating back to 1854, the exhibition featured work by 75 photographers from 16 countries selected from thousands of submissions. The display embraced a wide range of approaches—from documentary and portraiture to conceptual and fine-art photography—demonstrating the diversity of photographic practice in the digital age. The 2016 edition was particularly notable because all four major award winners were women, highlighting the growing prominence of female voices in contemporary photography. Running alongside the RPS exhibition was PHOTOMASTERS, an exhibition dedicated to recent MA Photography graduates from universities across the United Kingdom. Hosted within the industrial spaces of the Old Truman Brewery, the exhibition provided emerging photographers with a professional platform to present ambitious long-form projects and experimental visual narratives. Together, the RPS International Print Exhibition and PHOTOMASTERS created a dialogue between established and emerging practitioners, making PHOTOBLOCK 2016 one of the key events of London’s Photomonth photography festival. The exhibitions reflected the Brewery’s continuing role as a major center for contemporary photographic culture, education, and creative exchange in East London.