© Rene Matić. Courtesy of the Artist and Arcadia Missa, London.
Book tickets
We live in two image worlds, the one we think we know and the one that actually exists.
The former is organised by truth, fact and information – a society built upon the premise that image = evidence. The new image world has the ability to conjure realness untethered from reality, a place where a compelling image matters more than any indexical truth and where images have the potential to usher in new realities. Amongst the chaos, we can sense that the image world operates differently – and yet it’s unclear exactly how.
This one day salon presented by ICA, WePresent and The Messy Truth will explore what contemporary photography is today and what we want it to be. Alongside host Gem Fletcher, guest speakers, including Rene Matić, Elle Pérez, Jack Davison, Hanna Moon, Ronan Mckenzie, Emily Keegin and more, will discuss where we stand and propose ideas about what comes next.
The former is organised by truth, fact and information – a society built upon the premise that image = evidence. The new image world has the ability to conjure realness untethered from reality, a place where a compelling image matters more than any indexical truth and where images have the potential to usher in new realities. Amongst the chaos, we can sense that the image world operates differently – and yet it’s unclear exactly how.
This one day salon presented by ICA, WePresent and The Messy Truth will explore what contemporary photography is today and what we want it to be. Alongside host Gem Fletcher, guest speakers, including Rene Matić, Elle Pérez, Jack Davison, Hanna Moon, Ronan Mckenzie, Emily Keegin and more, will discuss where we stand and propose ideas about what comes next.
About The Messy Truth Podcast
Dedicated to the world of contemporary photography, The Messy Truth podcast, hosted by Gem Fletcher features exclusive interviews with emerging and leading artists, curators, editors and critics, exploring the shifting landscape of visual culture and what it means to be a photographer today. Previous guests have included Catherine Opie, Roxana Marcoci, Vince Aletti, Carmen Winant, Laia Abril, Paul Kooiker and Liz Johnson Artur to name just a few.
About WePresent
This event has been created in collaboration with WePresent, the arts platform of WeTransfer that acts as the company’s cultural torchbearer to a monthly audience of approximately three million in 190 countries. Collaborating with emerging young talent to renowned artists such as Marina Abramović, Riz Ahmed, FKA twigs or Solange Knowles, WePresent showcases the best in art, photography, film, music, literature and more, championing diversity in everything it does. The platform’s commissions range from editorial features to films, illustrations, photography series, events, and exhibitions, with an aim to offer a fresh take on the magic and mystery of creative ideas.
Dedicated to the world of contemporary photography, The Messy Truth podcast, hosted by Gem Fletcher features exclusive interviews with emerging and leading artists, curators, editors and critics, exploring the shifting landscape of visual culture and what it means to be a photographer today. Previous guests have included Catherine Opie, Roxana Marcoci, Vince Aletti, Carmen Winant, Laia Abril, Paul Kooiker and Liz Johnson Artur to name just a few.
About WePresent
This event has been created in collaboration with WePresent, the arts platform of WeTransfer that acts as the company’s cultural torchbearer to a monthly audience of approximately three million in 190 countries. Collaborating with emerging young talent to renowned artists such as Marina Abramović, Riz Ahmed, FKA twigs or Solange Knowles, WePresent showcases the best in art, photography, film, music, literature and more, championing diversity in everything it does. The platform’s commissions range from editorial features to films, illustrations, photography series, events, and exhibitions, with an aim to offer a fresh take on the magic and mystery of creative ideas.
Book tickets
12:00 pm
Sat, 31 Jan 2026
Stage
Full-day tickets are available, along with half-day tickets covering either the first two events or the last two events in the programme.
Ticket information
- All tickets that do not require ID (full price, disabled, income support) can be printed at home or stored in email
- For aged-based concession tickets (under 25, student) please bring relevant ID to collect at the front desk before the event.
Programme
Session 1: On Photography and...12:30 – 1:45pm
Session 2: On PhotoBooks2 – 3:15pm
Session 3: On Art Making and Community4 – 5:15pm
Session 4: On Future Storytelling5:30 – 7pm
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