Huawei partners with Saatchi Gallery

Leading consumer technology manufacturer Huawei has partnered up with the world-renowned Saatchi Gallery to redefine portrait photography through technology and design. The announcement was made in anticipation of the new Huawei P10 smartphone to be launched on February 26 2017 and will see Saatchi Gallery, existing partner Leica Camera and Huawei come together to view the world through the lens of the new Huawei P10.
Recognised for its pioneering approach to contemporary art, Saatchi Gallery has been a launch platform for many of the most influential artists of our time, including Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons. Focusing its attention on the evolution of portraiture, the partnership will explore the fusion of culture and technology, to enable the redefinition of contemporary portrait photography.
The Saatchi Gallery and Leica Camera have commissioned seven renowned photographers to use the Huawei P10 to explore this new narrative in their own unique style, using their own interpretation of the world around them through the smartphone's ground-breaking dual lens camera. The exclusive works will debut for the first time at a special exhibition at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, from 26 February - 2 March 2017, bringing new art to MWC for the first time.
As the world's third-largest smartphone manufacturer, Huawei Consumer Business Group debuted on the prestigious Interbrand Best Global Brands list in 2014 and rose to number 72 in 2016. This partnership with Saatchi Gallery along with existing partner Leica Camera, looks to build on the success of recent devices, including the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus which have exceeded 10 million global sales worldwide.
Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, said: "At Huawei we always want to push the boundaries of what is possible to achieve through engineering and technology. We are delighted to celebrate and explore the intersection of technology and culture, with Saatchi Gallery and Leica and to share interpretations of contemporary portrait photography through the lens of the Huawei P10."
Nigel Hurst, Gallery Director & Chief Executive of Saatchi Gallery, adds: "Technology is playing an increasingly important role in the work of artists, professional photographers and enthusiasts alike. We are delighted to be working with Huawei to explore new possibilities through the medium of photography. We look forward to presenting these internationally-renowned photographers' own interpretations of these new aesthetic possibilities by revealing their diverse approaches to contemporary portraiture."
"By combining Huawei's advanced industry design expertise and Leica Camera's signature photographic style with Saatchi Gallery's pioneering approach to contemporary art, we embrace the opportunity to explore new creative and aesthetic possibilities" comments Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director & Chief Representative, Leica Galleries International. "The Huawei P10 gives the artistic minded the tool to express their creativity and redefines portrait photography in a smartphone, helping to influence and inspire a new generation of photography enthusiasts."
Additionally, Saatchi Gallery and Huawei will present the exhibit 'From Selfie to Self-Expression' opening at the Saatchi Gallery on 31^st March 2017. The show will be the world's first exhibition exploring the history of the selfie and will celebrate the truly creative potential of a form of expression [the selfie] often ridiculed for its inanity.
The #SaatchiSelfie Competition
To coincide with the announcement of the exhibition, Saatchi Gallery and Huawei have joined forces to offer artists, photographers and enthusiasts around the globe a chance to show their most creative selfies internationally, and have their work exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery, as part of the competition #SaatchiSelfie.
The #SaatchiSelfie competition will be judged by a panel of renowned artists and forward-thinkers. In addition to having their selfie showcased at the Saatchi Gallery as part of From Selfie to Self-Expression the ten shortlisted winners will also receive Huawei's latest smartphone. The overall winner will be announced at the show's launch in London on 30th March 2017 and receive a priceless photographic experience, to be announced at a later date.
The#SaatchiSelfie competition is now accepting submissions and all details can be found at http://www.saatchigallery.com/selfie