Graduating just last summer, photographer Francesca Jane Allen had already exhibited at The Serpentine Gallery, shot for i-D, Topshop, Champion, Riposte, Nylon, Kickers and Ace & Tate.
So when the press release came through for this year's FreshFaced + WildEyed, the annual new talent exhibition at The Photographers Gallery, it came as no surprise that Francesca’s name was on it.
Francesca Jane Allen : Cosima and Ayesha in LA
She has been shooting her series Girls! Girls! Girls! since she was just 17 and, like a modern day Nan Goldin, shoots on film and points her camera at those closest to her, mainly of her younger sister and her best friends Cosima and Ayesha.
Francesca Jane Allen : Madonna Inn
Francesca Jane Allen : Cosima at Venice Beach
For her degree show at LCC she displayed a huge collage of over 60 images on the wall. The images, a combination of diaristic reportage and portraiture focused on adolescence, her own as well as her subjects. It is rare to see someone’s work so highly evolved straight out of university but judging by her recent photos of Jessie Andrews for i-D , make no mistake Francesca Jane Allen is all grown up and raring to go.
Francesca will be showing her Girls! Girls! Girls! series alongside new work at FreshFaced + WildEyed 2015 which opens at The Photographers Gallery on the 16th June. Twenty five emerging photographers and artists have been selected by a judging panel including Damien Poulain of Oodee Books, Brett Rogers, Director, The Photographers Gallery, Kate Cooper, Auto Italia and A K Dolven, artist and photographer.
Francesca Jane Allen : Rachel
Francesca Jane Allen : Matilda
Francesca Jane Allen : Matilda and Florence