During the last year, I’ve struggled with a number of personal issues and some big changes, that left me feeling ‘Lost’.
I used the photographic process to try and understand this feeling. To find myself and re-establish my place, and worth,
through the images. I’m now ‘Immersed’ physically and emotionally in a new role at the Environment Agency (EA),
managing the River Stour as it follows its course through Kent.
The river insidiously determines so many areas of our lives. Where we can travel, dictated by the roads and paths that follow
and cross it, and bridges that span it. Where we can live and work, due to flood plains and run-offs required to cope with exceptional weather circumstances. The EA work to prevent flooding, but ultimately we can’t stop it. The water is beyond
absolute containment. We work with it to manage it reactively but have no certainty of the outcome.
My work places me at the centre of this story, in a personal and participatory manner and allows me to tell it from
an inside perspective. I’m ‘tasked’ to manage and resolve issues within the River Stour and its environs, often to
places where there is no public access. I see the river from a different viewpoint, literally and metaphorically.
I don’t select the location, but there is always something to capture. I’m offered new opportunities every day.
My methodology has been influenced by this element of my work structure.
Exhibition
I held an exhibition in a local gallery to share my work and gather feedback. Although it felt personally exposing, it allowed me to directly interact with visitors. An element of moving image, and almost subliminal, background sound effects created a theatre that gave visitors a better insight into my project and varied methodology, provoking a more effective outcome.
Location & Invitees
I held an afternoon viewing on Sunday 5 November in a small gallery in my hometown of Folkestone. The viewing was promoted with a Facebook event page allowing me to directly invite local artists, creatives, and photographers as well as many of my peers. Situated in the heart of the Creative Quarter, the gallery provided the ideal location, with lots of footfall, attracting many walk-in visitors too. A targeted email invited Industry professionals, curators, and executives from the local creative foundation. Visitors who attended included a Research Development Lecturer for UCA, a Content Creation Trainer and Lecturer for the University of West London and a Director of Research Methods, IPSOS MORI.
Immersive Experience
A short introduction to the work was displayed, giving visitors an understanding of my intentions. Key images were selected from my work-to-date, professionally printed, and mounted. A ‘looped’ moving image was projected onto a muslin hung at the gallery window, during the evenings before the exhibition. This gave a hint to passers-by of the up-coming event and served as extra promotion. During the event, continuous moving water sounds - almost subliminal, were played in the background to complete the immersive experience. This went almost unnoticed but, it added to the performancial element.
I used the photographic process to try and understand this feeling. To find myself and re-establish my place, and worth,
through the images. I’m now ‘Immersed’ physically and emotionally in a new role at the Environment Agency (EA),
managing the River Stour as it follows its course through Kent.
The river insidiously determines so many areas of our lives. Where we can travel, dictated by the roads and paths that follow
and cross it, and bridges that span it. Where we can live and work, due to flood plains and run-offs required to cope with exceptional weather circumstances. The EA work to prevent flooding, but ultimately we can’t stop it. The water is beyond
absolute containment. We work with it to manage it reactively but have no certainty of the outcome.
My work places me at the centre of this story, in a personal and participatory manner and allows me to tell it from
an inside perspective. I’m ‘tasked’ to manage and resolve issues within the River Stour and its environs, often to
places where there is no public access. I see the river from a different viewpoint, literally and metaphorically.
I don’t select the location, but there is always something to capture. I’m offered new opportunities every day.
My methodology has been influenced by this element of my work structure.
Exhibition
I held an exhibition in a local gallery to share my work and gather feedback. Although it felt personally exposing, it allowed me to directly interact with visitors. An element of moving image, and almost subliminal, background sound effects created a theatre that gave visitors a better insight into my project and varied methodology, provoking a more effective outcome.
Location & Invitees
I held an afternoon viewing on Sunday 5 November in a small gallery in my hometown of Folkestone. The viewing was promoted with a Facebook event page allowing me to directly invite local artists, creatives, and photographers as well as many of my peers. Situated in the heart of the Creative Quarter, the gallery provided the ideal location, with lots of footfall, attracting many walk-in visitors too. A targeted email invited Industry professionals, curators, and executives from the local creative foundation. Visitors who attended included a Research Development Lecturer for UCA, a Content Creation Trainer and Lecturer for the University of West London and a Director of Research Methods, IPSOS MORI.
Immersive Experience
A short introduction to the work was displayed, giving visitors an understanding of my intentions. Key images were selected from my work-to-date, professionally printed, and mounted. A ‘looped’ moving image was projected onto a muslin hung at the gallery window, during the evenings before the exhibition. This gave a hint to passers-by of the up-coming event and served as extra promotion. During the event, continuous moving water sounds - almost subliminal, were played in the background to complete the immersive experience. This went almost unnoticed but, it added to the performancial element.
