154 iPhoneography Prints for Exhibition

Since January this year I have been creating work as part of the 154 Collective and the launch of our Exhibition is now drawing near....2nd June at the Cooper Gallery, Barnsley. My work has been developed through iPhoneography using still and moving image to celebrate the similarities between the communities of Barnsley and Newham, whose Town Halls are 154 miles apart as the crow flies. My exhibited work will comprise of a series of portraits of children from Barnsley and Newham, framed giclee prints capturing daily life within the two boroughs and a selection of short films. Here is a close up of one of the giclee prints presented as a montage of 35 images from Barnsley and Newham. Come along to the exhibition to see the full print and much more work created by the 154 Collective.

154 Exhibition Launch

It is less than two weeks until the Launch of the 154 Exhibition on the 2nd June and everything is starting to come together. It is all very exciting! The Exhibition is promising to be a visual delight full of work inspired by and created collaboratively with people from the boroughs of Barnsley and Newham. Alongside the Exhibition will be a series of workshops delivered by the 154 Collective artists, providing the opportunity for people to work with the artists and contribute their own artwork to the exhibition. The poster image is from German Artist Benjamin Rabe who will be attending the launch and running a workshop with local children. Feel free to come along....It would be great to see you there! Please visit the 154 Collective Blog for more information.

154 Portraits

I have just completed a series of portraits of children from Barnsley and Newham which will form part of the 154 Exhibition beginning on the 2nd June at the Cooper Gallery, Barnsley. Each portrait was captured on the iPhone and processed on the iPad. The children from both Boroughs were fantastic and I had great fun capturing these images. They are all printed and waiting to be exhibited in two weeks time. For more information and updates on the 154 Collective please visit the 154 blog.

154 Journey Images

During my recent trip to Newham, as part of the 154 Collective Project, I captured a few images that I felt conjured up a sense of journey. Here are a few of them, each captured and processed entirely on my iPhone as part of my own journey.

154 at Gallions School, Nehwam

After visiting children at Birdwell Primary School I travelled to Newham with Fabric Lenny to deliver 154 workshop with children a Gallions Primary School, Newham. The children were fantastic and produced some amazing artwork including continuous line drawings, pen and water wash portraits and mini canvasses. As well as drawing, the children also worked with me to produce a series of photographic portraits which will be part of a montage piece I am creating for the 154 Exhibition in June. I also produced a short film of children drawing using timelapse animation. For more updates on 154 please visit the 154 blog.

A 154 Collaboration Begins: Pictures and Words

Myself and Dan Mallaghan have just begun work on a new 154 Collective Collaborative Project: Pictures and Words. This collaboration is based on the sharing and creative responses to each others work - writing and photography. Our first piece is titled: Through a Window and began by Dan sending me an amazing piece of writing which I then had to respond to through photography. I have loved working on this piece although I found it extremely challenging. Follow 154 Collective's Blog to find out what else we are working on. Here is mine and Dan's first collaboration:

Through a window.

You don’t need to see the weather today to know what it’s like you just need to see the people; the hardy ones; the ones that pass the window.  The shapes of their bodies tell you all you need to know.

A couple pass, their bodies contorted, lean heavily ahead of their feet as though they are slowly making their way up a mountain.  The woman, identified only by the heels she is wearing with her black suit trousers, is almost entirely smothered in an enormous silver coat. Insulation rings her body like Michelin tyres from her shoulders to her knees; disguising any body shape that may lie beneath.  Her hood, complete with brown faux fur lining, is pulled tightly over her head; her left hand gripping it across her face so that her eyes alone are revealed to the outside world.  From her right shoulder hangs a brown handbag tucked securely beneath her elbow and held firmly in place by the vice like grip of her blue tinged fingers.

And then there’s her partner. 

Perhaps only her partner for this walk; they seem so different in every way except the direction of their journeys.

He seems more defiant to the conditions, or perhaps, upon closer inspection of his grimace, more defenceless.  Scuffed trainers pound the pavement, a slight bend at the knee with each leaden step hints at the increasing weight of his sodden blue jeans.  He looks as though he’s been walking for weeks.  His hands are stuffed tightly into the pockets of what can only be described as a green summer jacket (though shirt with pockets would also do). Dark patches around his shoulders and arms confirm the inability of this flimsy jacket to repel any water.  His shoulders are hunched, leading the rest of his body; head down, tight lipped, eyes fixed firmly on his feet. Brown messy hair holds glimmering spots that gently slide down curling pathways before freeing themselves a drop at a time around his ears.

And he seems cold, much colder than the woman is in her storm shelter of a coat. He is rigid with cold.

They pass the window one step at a time, leaning into their path as though pulling trains behind them.

You don’t need to see the weather today to know what it’s like.  You just need to see the people.

154 Journeys

As part of the work I am developing during my involvement with the 154 Collective I am producing digital images using my iPhone and iPad along the theme of Journeys, focused around communities within Barnsley and Newham. I am currently working on a number of images that I recently captured during a Road Trip to Newham including these images from Upton Park Station. Each image was captured on my iPhone and has been processed entirely on my iPad.

At The Station

Making Tracks

Upton Park Station

Docks and Shops

As part of the 154 Collective, I am currently working on a series of images that have been captured and processed entirely on mobile devices, including the iPhone and the iPad. Here are two images I captured in Newham, during the recent Road Trip.

Newham Docklands

Newham Shops

Barnsley To Newham

As part of the 154 project I have recently been on a road trip from Barnsley to Newham, with two other artists. Armed with cameras, iPhones, iPads, tripods and sketch books we began by documenting our journey as we passed through many small Towns and Villages. On arrival at Newham we explored the borough on foot, capturing images as we went - there was so much to see...and so much to take in!! We are going back again soon but in the meantime I have begun to process some of the images I captured. Here are a few... many more to come!! To keep track of the 154 Collective please follow the 154 Blog.

Street Cleaning

Barnsley and Newham Town Halls

Early Morning at the Docks