Rio
Blake

With a grounded and intimate style, Rio Blake creates her reportage photography not as a voyeur but as an active participant. With the rich textures of urban life bursting from her images, Rio conveys the dynamic and sometimes dramatic reality of the capital with warmth and understanding.

Although Notting Hill Carnival’s absence in recent years has been keenly felt, London-based Rio has sought to keep its spirit alive through her photography. Capturing the sights, sounds and smells of the Carnival, Rio organised a charity exhibition this summer, collaborating with other young artists to raise money for the Grenfell Foundation. From the array of young photographic talent on display to the distinctive aromas of Mama’s Jerk wafting from the kitchens, the exhibition captured not only the rich, multi-sensory delights of the Carnival but also the enthusiasm of London’s up-and-coming photographic talent – led by Blake herself.

Underpinning her work is a belief that photography is inclusive, and this can be seen not only in Rio’s choice of subjects but also in the way they are presented: focusing less on the ‘big picture’ and more on the thousands of faces that make it up.