Gallery Mercatorplein 2018
Gallery Mercatorplein is a recurring photo exhibition in the public space. This edition shows the works of three photographers who are part of this year's selected Foam Talents.

In their work, a selection of which can be seen at Mercatorplein, photographers Vasantha Yogananthan, Viacheslav Poliakov and Namsa Leuba share their views on the lives of populations related to their own roots.

The work of Vashantha Yognananthan as shown at Galerie Mercatorplein 2018 © Foam

Since 2016, Vasantha Yogananthan (France, 1985) has worked on a contemporary interpretation of The Ramanyana, a living story about the exiled prince Rama that was first described in 300 BC. For his series A Myth of Two Souls, a selection of which is on view at Mercatorplein, the photographer crosses India from north to south and captures the seven chapters of the original poem by combining landscapes, portraits, hand-painted photographs and texts by Indian writers.


The work of Viacheslav Poliakov as shown at Galerie Mercatorplein 2018 © Foam

Shown alongside Yogananthan's impressive visual report, is the work of Viacheslav Poliakov's (Ukraine, 1986) work exploring the undiscovered field of coincidences through the project Lviv – God’s Will. It is human to think that national history is shaped by big, compelling events, but through his work, the photographer reveals that it is often the unlikely and spontaneous incidents of daily life that have the most impact on the history of cultures.


The work of Namsa Leuba as shown at Galerie Mercatorplein 2018 © Foam

Namsa Leuba's (1982) photography is a personal discovery of the artist's African roots. In her work, she explores the aesthetic similarities of African and European history and perspectives, and reinvents them. Leuba challenges a truth that is presumed to be true in photojournalism and ethnology.

ABOUT GALLERY MERCATORPLEIN
Foam and Amsterdam-West district have been working together for years in realising several exhibitions at Mercatorplein. With Gallery Mercatorplein Foam contributes to the goal of Amsterdam-West to shape Mercatorplein as the living room of the De Baarsjes neighbourhood. Foam regularly shows photography outside its walls with exhibitions on location to introduce photography to the widest possible audience.

Gallery Mercatorplein is made possible thanks to City of Amsterdam, District West.

Foam is supported by the BankGiro Loterij, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, City of Amsterdam, Olympus and the VandenEnde Foundation.

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Gallery Mercatorplein 2018