London (Wapping) 2008 2009

Curator: John Riddy's "London (Wapping)" from 2008 presents us with a remarkably still scene of the Thames. My first impression is subdued, almost melancholic. Editor: It’s a study in urban development and its relationship to the natural world, isn’t it? The stark, repeated architectural forms feel very much constructed from readily available, modern materials. Curator: Exactly, and Wapping’s history as a working-class port district, now gentrified, is vital. Riddy is showing us the social and material transformation of London through its built environment. Editor: The water seems to take up more than half the image, reflecting that sky, really emphasizing the river's role in shaping this community and trade. Curator: Absolutely. The subtle tonality speaks to the artist's meticulous approach to the photographic process itself. There's an almost classical composition. Editor: It is quite balanced. Looking at Riddy's work, one appreciates how deeply social and economic processes are embedded within a visual format. Curator: And how those processes are revealed, quietly, through the image itself.