Fahey/Klein Gallery is showcasing "Julia Fullerton-Batten: Tableaux," a solo exhibition featuring photographs from two major series that demonstrate the artist's mastery of elaborately staged, cinematic compositions. The exhibition, running from November 20, 2025, through January 17, 2026, presents works from "Old Father Thames" and "Frida: A Singular Vision of Beauty and Pain," both exemplifying Fullerton-Batten's internationally recognized ability to construct meticulously lit scenes that blur the lines between history and imagination.
Fullerton-Batten's artistic approach draws heavily on the visual language of film and painting, creating photographs that meditate on specific moments in time and place through theatrical visual narratives. Her work transforms historical research into vivid, contemporary interpretations that hover between documentary and fantasy, establishing her as a leading voice in fine-art photography.
In "Old Father Thames," Fullerton-Batten focuses her lens on the legendary river that has fundamentally shaped London's character and prosperity for more than two millennia. Living close to the Thames banks in West London, the artist developed a deep fascination with the historical stories connecting the river to the city. "I live very close to the banks of the Thames in West London and became interested in the historical stories connecting the river to London. Its constantly changing face, moving with the tide and the seasons and the activities that surround the river are an inspiration. But it is the history of the Thames and its stories that draw me in," she explains.
The Thames series explores the river's multifaceted role throughout history, serving as a source of water and food, an artery of communication, and a psychological boundary for Londoners. Fullerton-Batten notes that "these stories, countless whimsical, idiosyncratic and tragic happenings, all make up a history of one of the most important rivers in the world." Her photographs recreate episodes ranging from baptisms and Frost Fairs to tales of death, suicide, and scavenging children, combining her signature blend of historical research with cinematic imagination.
Each image in the Thames series is shot as though witnessed firsthand, reconstructing specific episodes from the river's past and transforming history into a vivid tapestry of costume, light, and gesture. This approach allows viewers to experience historical moments with immediate visual impact while maintaining scholarly attention to historical detail.
The second series, "Frida: A Singular Vision of Beauty and Pain," pays homage to Frida Kahlo, who has become an enduring symbol of creative resilience since her death in 1954. For Fullerton-Batten, Kahlo's legacy of fearless self-expression and profound love of Mexico became the catalyst for creating a body of work honoring both the artist's spirit and her homeland. "Her legacy as an artist reminds us to embrace our own uniqueness, confront our challenges head-on, and find beauty in the most unexpected places," Fullerton-Batten explains.
The photographer emphasizes Kahlo's lasting impact on art and culture, stating that "her paintings stand as a testament to the enduring power of art to heal, inspire, and ignite change. Through her paintings, Kahlo offers us a unique perspective on Mexican culture, identity, and the human condition, leaving an indelible mark on both national and global art history."
Following her 2022 retrospective in Mexico City, Fullerton-Batten fell deeply in love with Mexico's colors, people, and rhythm of life. To ensure authenticity in her tribute series, she collaborated with a local film costume designer to source genuine hand-crafted Tehuana dresses from Oaxaca – the same type of garments Kahlo wore to express her national and cultural pride.
The Frida series was photographed across extraordinary Mexican locations, including an abandoned mansion in the heart of Mexico City, a Luis Barragán residence, centuries-old haciendas, and the mystical doll island of Xochimilco. These diverse settings provide rich backdrops that fuse homage with invention, transforming Kahlo's cultural identity into a lush, contemporary dreamscape that honors both the artist's memory and Mexico's vibrant visual culture.
Julia Fullerton-Batten was born in 1970 in Bremen, Germany, and grew up in both Germany and the United States before settling in the United Kingdom, where she studied photography and worked as an assistant to professional photographers for five years. By 2005, she had established herself as a leading voice in fine-art photography, developing her distinctive style of theatrical, narrative-driven imagery.
Her work has gained international recognition and is held in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions including the National Portrait Gallery in London, Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne, and the Parliamentary Art Collection at the Houses of Parliament, among others. The exhibition "Julia Fullerton-Batten: Tableaux" is located at Fahey/Klein Gallery, 148 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036, with additional information available at www.faheykleingallery.com.
