Pioneering gallery TJ Boulting – known for supporting female photographers – closes in London after 13 years

Front of TJ Boulting
(Image credit: TJ Boulting)

A pioneering photography gallery in the UK has closed its beautiful doors after 13 years in Fitzrovia, London.

Hannah Watson is the director of Trolley Books, previously working alongside Gigi Giannuzzi until his death in 2012, which publishes a diverse range of titles presenting unique stories in photography, photojournalism and contemporary art. She co-founded the TJ Boulting gallery alongside Giannuzzi in 2011, which took its name from the landmark Grade II listed Arts and Crafts building in Fitzrovia.

Announcing the closing in an Instagram post on Valentine's Day, Watson wrote: “I chose Valentine’s Day to make the announcement because I wanted to end TJ Boulting on a positive note.

“The decision has been brewing for a while and I’ve done everything I wanted to do with the gallery: built an exciting program, worked with amazing artists, participated in art fairs, secured major museum acquisitions. Although it was a hard decision to choose to close the gallery, I feel the time is right to move on to new opportunities.”

According to The Art Newspaper, “Trolley’s early focus on stylish presentations of heavy hitting photojournalism and politically charged art came to inform the core of the programming at TJ Boulting, which was particularly known for its focus on lens-based work.

“Included in the gallery’s eight-strong, all-female roster were the Indian documentary photographer and Deutsche Borse Foundation Photography Prize nominee Poulomi Basu and the portraitist Juno Calypso, who won the 2016 British Journal of Photography International Photography Award in 2016.”

TJ Boulting was “very much a commercial gallery” but has also “functioned as a hub” for the art and photography community by hosting book launches and workshops, according to Watson. It has hired guest curators for group shows including the art critic Charlotte Jansen, whose exhibition focused on birth, while editor Lousie Wise explored the male gaze.

More recently, the gallery staged an exhibition dedicated to English artist Sarah Lucas – part of the generation of Young British Artists – where visitors who identified as women, or men dressed as women, were invited to throw an egg against a wall, creating a large abstract work.

Watson ran the gallery as the sole director after Giannuzzi’s death in 2012, and often had to decide between staging an exhibition or preparing a book. This is something that “current market conditions don’t afford you any more,” she says. “There is no breathing space. Going forward I want to free myself of those restrictions.”

Many of TJ Boulting’s artists are now without gallery representation, but Watson says she is not worried for any of them. “I consulted each of my artists before announcing the closure to the public. I am confident they will be picked up by other galleries.”

You might also like…

Take a look at our guides to the best cameras for beginners, the best professional cameras, and the best cameras for portrait photography.

Leonie Helm
Staff Writer

After graduating from Cardiff University with an Master's Degree in Journalism, Media and Communications Leonie developed a love of photography after taking a year out to travel around the world. 

While visiting countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh and Ukraine with her trusty Nikon, Leonie learned how to capture the beauty of these inspiring places, and her photography has accompanied her various freelance travel features. 

As well as travel photography Leonie also has a passion for wildlife photography both in the UK and abroad. 

Read more
 Estate of Horst P. Horst
Leica Gallery London gives fashion a new focus with exhibition from photography greats
Zoë Law attends the 'Zoë Law: Legends' photography exhibition At the National Portrait Gallery on November 28, 2024 in London, England
National Portrait Gallery accused of nepotism after makeup artist turned photographer – and major financial donor – gets top exhibit despite "pedestrian" work
Liz Hatton (C) works alongside the press photographers during the UK Premiere of "Venom: The Last Dance" at the BFI IMAX Waterloo on October 23, 2024 in London, England
Teenage photographer who died of cancer - and who inspired the Princess of Wales - has her images auctioned off for charity
Autofoto photobooth
Celebrate 100 years of the iconic photobooth with a range of pop-up events around the UK organized by Autofoto
Miss Aniela photography workshop
I always hated hosting photography workshops, till I changed one thing
‘Stranger Fruit’ by Tshepiso Moropa, 2025. Collage on Fabriano Paper
Art meets activism: 2025 V&A Parasol prize winners explore identity, community and resistance
Latest in Galleries and Exhibitions
A still from the Magnum Presents: A World in Color YouTube Video
Magnum Photos is using the Fujifilm GFX 100 II to digitize its extensive color archive
Inside Ukraine at Leica Gallery
See the duality of modern life in Ukraine laid bare a new exhibition at Leica Gallery
Naomi at Camera Work Gallery
Naomi Campbell's iconic images are a hall of fame for top fashion photographers
PhotoVogue Festival 2025
PhotoVogue Festival 2025: A stunning love letter to nature through powerful photography
© The Richard Avedon Foundation
Richard Avedon exhibition reveals the masterful work of the legendary fashion and portrait photographer
 Estate of Horst P. Horst
Leica Gallery London gives fashion a new focus with exhibition from photography greats
Latest in News
Pergear CFexpress 4.0 Type A Master cards
Pergear launches new super-fast AND super-cheap CFexpress Type A cards
Rokinon AF 135mm f/1.8
Huge price drops on low-cost prime lenses for Sony and Fujifilm camera users
TikTok "ban notice" from January 19 2025, on top of an American flag
The TikTok ban is rapidly losing support, but if the legislation doesn’t change, senators warn that this is what could happen
Sony Venice Extension System Mini
BREAKING: Sony has just expanded its renowned cinema line with the Venice Extension System Mini
Canon EOS R3 at Lowest-ever price
The Canon R3 has a MASSIVE $1,000 discount in the Amazon Big Spring Sale
Nikon Zf + 40mm
The Nikon Zf with matching 40mm lens DROPS to new-low in the Amazon sale