From moving intimacy, through challenging gender norms, to environmental awareness and religious and identity issues, the 166th edition of the Royal Photographic Society’s International Photography Exhibition (IPE) has it all.
The winners of the world’s longest-running photography exhibition were announced last week, and their works are on display at London’s Saatchi Gallery until 18th September 2025.
The IPE is renowned for showcasing the diversity of contemporary photography from around the world, with more than 4,000 practitioners, both amateur and professional, submitting work for consideration for the open call. In the end, 51 photographers were selected by a guest panel for inclusion in the exhibition, featuring 113 prints.
The display is a reflection on the issues of our times, ranging from the environmental crisis through identity, community and culture, and the works are not just visually compelling but also socially and culturally significant.
Victoria Humphries, CEO of the RPS, commented: “This is another edition of the International Photography Exhibition that pushes the boundaries of creative expression and celebrates the diversity and evolution of photography. I love the eclecticism of the display, and how one photo might really challenge you, another might really resonate and another one might instantly transport you somewhere. And all three could be next to each other on the wall! How often do we get all those emotions in just one place?!”
The selection panel of experts consisted of Yuxing Chen, a Chinese artist and researcher based in the UK and previous recipient of the IPE 165 award; Kalpesh Lathigra, a British Indian artist working across documentary and art practice; Anne Nwakalor, a British Nigerian photo editor and communications officer and founding editor of No! Wahala Magazine; Nicola Shipley, curator, producer, mentor and co-founder and director of GRAIN projects; and photography consultant and long-term member of the IPE selection panel, Dr Michael Pritchard.
The two award recipients for the 166th edition were announced last week. Lydia Goldblatt received the IPE Award for her series Fugue, which explores motherhood as a central theme, considering love and grief, mothering and losing a mother, as well as intimacy and distance. Depicting the everyday rhythms and rituals of family life, her project shines a light on the disharmony between the peace of home life and her own navigation through these transitional periods.
The Under 30s Award was presented to Keerthana Kunnath for her series Not What You Saw, which centres on South Indian female bodybuilders who challenge entrenched gender and beauty norms. “My research into Kalari, a traditional, male-dominated martial art believed to originate in Kerala in the 11th century, connected me to this community of female bodybuilders. Hearing their stories, we’d all experienced society’s criticisms of ‘not being feminine enough and encroaching on male spaces’,” said Kunnath. “I was inspired by how they ignored these standards to forge their identities on their own terms.”
Touring the gallery, you would also be drawn to the serenity of Mat Hay’s image of a traditional farmer and agroecology teacher, with the reflection of the trees on the river also giving an extra dimension to the skills and commitment of the agricultural worker/educator. It is part of his four-year multimedia project telling the story of one of Mexico’s most important traditional farming communities, revealing their rich culture, unique farming ecosystem and spectacular wetland habitat, while highlighting their complex struggle for survival.
Moving along the walls, you would be moved by the intriguing take of Ana Paganini’s ‘Our Lady of Fatima’, depicting a group of women pilgrims to the famous Portuguese religious shrine, exploring themes of personal and collective memory, identity and cultural traditions.
The complete list of IPE166 exhibitors, images and further information about the exhibition is available here: https://rps.org/ipe166
The exhibition will be open at Saatchi Gallery, London, between Tuesday 5th August and Thursday 18th September, 10am until 6pm, and entry is free.
The International Photography Exhibition is supported by theprintspace.
Images Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society
