Seamus Nicolson: The Arcadian Metropolis

We are delighted to offer rare works by highly regarded photographer Seamus Nicolson.

Monograph has acquired 15 of the iconic nocturnal urban street scenes which are typical of Nicolson’s work. Many of the works available for sale are the last remaining editions of works already held in the Tate, Arts Council and Government Art collections (three of them are shown here).

They are images of dark metropolitan scenes where the subjects are seemingly caught unawares in transitory insignificant moments. But they are not mere urban documentary works. They might appear to be that perfect ‘caught in a moment’ photograph. The secret isn’t quick photography. The works are carefully staged and seek to highlight the beauty of the everyday, finding moments of reflection in the seemingly banal.

Nicolson’s work blurs the line between documentary photography and staged artifice as can be seen explicitly in Jason and Wajid (works which have been acquired by the Tate Collection and the Government Art Collection).

Nicolson graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1996 and was exhibited in the 1997 Beck’s New Contemporaries exhibition. His work is currently exhibited at the Whitechapel Gallery until June 2012 as part of the 12 From No 10 exhibition. He has photographed for Vivienne Westwood which included Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.