EMERGENCE: the next generation of Southwest photography
Nick Cooney
The breadth and talent of South West based emerging and recently graduated photographers.
We invited applications from Southwest-based photographers who had either set up of graduated within the last 3 years, and who are working across a broad spectrum of photography, including analogue or digital, cameraless, collage or film. This exhibition will showcase the 7 exciting photographers selected!
Selectors for EMERGENCE 2023
Jem Southam has lived, worked and photographed in Devon for the past 30 years and is an Emeritus Professor of Photography at the University of Plymouth, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and Honorary Academician at Royal West of England Academy.
Matthew Pontin is Creative Director at Fotonow CIC - a creative social enterprise based in Plymouth that specialises in socially engaged photography and wider media work to shape a better world.
2 Sep - 4 Nov 2023
Riverside Gallery
Events
There are a number of photography talks and workshops happening throughout the duration of both of our photography exhibitions.
For details and to book, please visit: makesouthwest.org.uk/whats-on/events-and-workshops
Inside the gallery
About the exhibitors
Nick Cooney, Cornwall
Nick Cooney is a largely self-taught photographer specialising in documenting architecture, interior design, and the visual arts.
He started freelance photography work toward the start of 2020. His previous work-life consisted of a long period in marketing, communications, and sales - mainly for architecture practices and structural/civil engineering consultancy firms. He studied Anthropology and Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Imogen Bastone, Bristol
Imogen is a photographer and writer currently based in Bristol. She holds a BA (Hons) in photography from the University of the West of England, and an MA(Fine Art) from the Bath Spa School of Art and Design.
Imogen’s desire to create stems from an upbringing encompassed by creatures and landscape, with her photographic practice having always been illustrative of the human-nature connection.
Jake Tebbutt, Cornwall
Jake Tebbutt is a young artist working in and around the Southwest of England. His work focuses on the landscapes around him, constructing a narrative imagery which illustrate themes such as place and identity. His work is greatly influenced by the way in which we interact with our natural surroundings, informed by understanding the human and natural history of place.
His work for this exhibition experiments with using indexical traces as a method of understanding how process-led photography offers a way to think about landscapes of historic tragedy, such as the many historic shipwrecks which litter the coast of South Devon.
Olivia Eden, Cornwall
Olivia Eden is a 20-year-old multidisciplinary artist working in predominantly camera-less and analogue processes. She currently lives in Cornwall, studying Ba (Hons) Photography at Falmouth University. Her practice is continuously informed by place and ecological thought.
Most recently, she has been working on a series of lumen prints and chemigrams that have been created using seaweed and coastline materials, collected from the beaches she visits.
Louis Izard, Somerset
During his studies at Falmouth University, Louis Izard BA (Hons) developed a strong interest in how remote rural landscapes visually transform at night. This transition enthused him to explore this change photographically by capturing the period of twilight which he considered to be the catalyst for these visual changes. This impacts the perception of these places by the observer.
Izard’s work is influenced by other practitioners who also study the passage of time within rural landscapes such as Awoiksa van der Molen and Chrystal Lebas.
Miles Critchley-Hope, Somerset
Miles Critchley-Hope is a young and ambitious photographer from Somerset. Initially interested in portraiture and studio work whilst studying at Millfield School, he later turned his attention towards topographical photography, discovering artists such as Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Burtynsky and The New Topographics.
The work submitted for this exhibition is part of his MNFCTR.Exp project which looks at the artificial side of our progress, composing metal, glass and cardboard into sculptural images which float freely within a frame as if to be monuments of our time.
Jake Varker, Devon
Jake Varker is a photographer based in the southwest of England and is a recent graduate from the University of Plymouth. His photographic work focuses on his own surroundings and experiences.
Concentrating on themes such as place and emotion, he aims to construct poetic imagery that supports his understanding of these matters. Jake is increasingly interested in the term ‘lyric documentary’ and how this area of photography is evolving into a more subjective and poetic approach.
Plan your visit
Open Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm.
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