Over the Counter
A Staff Exhibition by Photobook Cafe & Rapid Eye Darkrooms
Opening: 14 May 2026, 18:00 – Late
London, UK — Photobook Cafe and Rapid Eye Darkrooms are proud to present Over the Counter, a multidisciplinary exhibition celebrating the creative practices of past and present staff across both spaces. Opening on 14 May from 18:00 until late, the exhibition brings together a diverse range of works that reflect the extended community behind these two interconnected hubs.
Following a lineage of staff-led exhibitions that foreground the creative voices within the organisation, Over the Counter builds on this legacy by shifting focus toward the often unseen or informal practices that exist alongside daily work. Previous exhibitions have explored collective heritage and personal archives, highlighting the depth of talent within the community. This new iteration expands that dialogue, embracing an open theme and a broader range of disciplines.
Spanning photography, print, moving image, installation, writing, and experimental forms, Over the Counter resists a singular narrative. Instead, it offers a snapshot of a living, evolving network—one shaped by shared spaces, overlapping histories, and the rhythms of working life “over the counter.”
The exhibition title gestures toward both a physical and symbolic threshold: the café counter, the darkroom reception, the point of exchange between artist and audience. It reflects the dual roles held by many contributors, as facilitators, technicians, baristas, and artists—and invites audiences to encounter these practices outside of their usual contexts.
With its open framework, Over the Counter encourages unexpected connections between works, allowing personal, political, and experimental approaches to sit in conversation. The result is a collective portrait of a community defined not by hierarchy, but by proximity, collaboration, and shared investment in creative practice.
The opening night will take the form of an informal gathering, welcoming friends, collaborators, and the wider public to celebrate the people who have shaped—and continue to shape—Photobook Cafe and Rapid Eye Darkrooms.
About Photobook Cafe & Rapid Eye Darkrooms
Photobook Cafe and Rapid Eye Darkrooms are longstanding spaces for photographic practice and analogue hubs in London. Together, they support artists and audiences through exhibitions, workshops, access to facilities, and an ongoing public programme dedicated to image-making and visual culture.