MAKING NOISE: Photographer and publisher Rankin has helped to raise more than 5,000 pounds for The Legacy of War Foundation for Ukraine during a special exhibition called “Visual Noise,” the first art fair dedicated solely to the U.K.’s emerging photography talent. Rankin said he gave “free rein” to the 40 graduate photographers who took part in the show. They were students from around the world, and the U.K., whose final BA and MA degree shows were disrupted by COVID-19. They exhibited works produced during their studies at schools including London College of Communication, Central Saint Martins, Goldsmiths and the London College of Fashion.
“Visual Noise” partnered with the Legacy of War Foundation, with profits raised from tickets and the sale of prints and T-shirts going to the foundation’s partner organizations in Ukraine. Money raised will provide immediate assistance to the most vulnerable people, including children and those living with disabilities, according to organizers.
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The Legacy of War Foundation is campaigning for an end to war and military intervention “as a tool for foreign policy.” The organization also helps to support the survivors and communities affected by war, and Rankin said he partnered with them because they could ensure the money went straight to victims.
Rankin worked with the curator Ellen Stone, chief executive officer of Public Offerings Ltd., to organize the show and choose the artists who took part. The brief was to “be creative” within a 6-by-6-foot space at Maryland Studio in East London and “to show the public work they will not have seen before.” Rankin said the point of “Visual Noise” was to “break down the barriers between established and emerging arts” and to highlight the value that new voices can have in contemporary culture.
“Like everyone in this industry, I had to get my start somewhere. I was lucky enough to find a community of artists, stylists, writers and musicians all launching themselves into the world at the same time as me. By bringing artists together from different universities and backgrounds I hope we can help build a new community of artists who will grow together over the coming decades.” As part of the show, Rankin sold a selection of his own publications, prints and one-of-a-kind archival imagery going back over the last 30 years, with money raised going to Ukraine.