Education
2017-current PhD Candidate in Fine Art, Newcastle University (Year 6 Part-time, Northern Bridge Funded)
2017-19 RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (On-line)
1998-2000 MA Fine Art Photography, Royal College of Art, London (dissertation commendation)
1993-1996 BA (Hons) Photography (2.1) Surrey Institute of Art & Design, Farnham
1992-1993 BTEC Dip. Foundation Studies (Art & Design), Guildhall University, London
Solo Exhibitions - Forthcoming
2023 ‘A Delicious Garden’, The Photographic Garden, East Street Arts, Leeds (Forthcoming April 23)
‘A Tendril of Creeper: Gardens of Protest and Hope’. PhD exhibition, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle & Campus gardens (forthcoming Nov 23)
Solo Exhibitions
2020 ‘This is What I See’ – (Marjolaine Ryley a mid career retrospective), Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland as part of NEPN ‘Observe, Experiment, Archive’ programme.
2013 ‘Growing up in the New Age’ as part of the Social Encountering Photography, Festival at Sunderland Minster, Sunderland
2012 ‘Growing up in the New Age’ Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow (as part of Glasgow International)
‘Growing up in the New Age’ Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton
2008 'Résidence Astral,' Impressions Gallery, Bradford
2007 'Résidence Astral', Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow
(Artists' Minigraph with newly commissioned essay by Val Williams)
2006 'Residence Astral', Atrium Gallery, London College of Communication, London
'Villa Mona - A Proper Kind of House', Northern Gallery for Contemporary
Art, Sunderland
'Avenue', York Quay Centre, Harbourfront Arts Centre, Toronto
Selected Group Exhibitions
2022 ‘A Rose is a Rose is a Rose’ Hestercombe Art Gallery, Somerset
2020 ‘Multispecies Visionary Institute – Sabina Sallis’ contributor ‘Plants and Protest or How to Grow your Art and Eat it’, Berwick Gymnasium gallery
2018 ‘Growing up in the New Age’ Collections Gallery, NGCA, Sunderland
2015 ‘Art Lending Library’, City Library, Sunderland
2014 ‘Eulogy’ Vane Gallery, Newcastle
‘Moral Holiday’ Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland
2011 ‘Civic’ international festival of Billboard Art, Vardy Gallery, Northern Gallery for contemporary Art and off site Billboards locations in the North East
‘Civic’ international festival of Billboard Art, Thessaloniki, Greece
2010 'Like Tears in Rain', Palácio des Artes, Fábrica de Talentos, Portugal (exh.cat)
2009 'Résidence Astral', Victoria & Albert Museum, London
‘Photo 50 09’ London Art Fair, Islington
2007 'Special Edition Prints' Brahm Gallery, Leeds
2006 'The Elephant Vanishes', East Room, Tate Modern, London
'Northern England in Northern Slovakia', Dom Fotografie, Galeria P.M. Slovakia
2005 'The Space Between the Sole & the Heal', Globe Gallery, North Shields
2004 'Trace Editions', Hirschl Contemporary Art, London
'Home Ideal Show', Eshoda Arts, Bath (exh.cat)
2003 'Dislocation', K3 Project Space, Zürich
'Interior Life', Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland
'Proof', Studio 1.1, London
2000 ‘Avenue’ Harbourfront Ars Centre, Toronto
1997 ‘Pandora’s Bath’ Recontre d’Arles International Photography Festival’, France
Video Screenings
2020 ‘Jura Bound’ Northern gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland
2013 ‘Jura Bound’ Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton
2008 'Résidence Astral' Centenary Square, Bradford
2003 ‘Fruit of the Loop', Symposium on Video Art & Food, Immola Museum, Italy (exh.cat)
‘Braziers 2003’ International Artists Workshop exhibition, Oxfordshire (exh. cat)
2002 'Experimental Spaces 2', Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, Hastings
2000 'Assembly', Stepney City, London (exh. cat)
Books / Publications / Journal Articles
Publications Forthcoming
2023 ‘On Family’, The School of Life, London (forthcoming April 23)
Publications
2022 ‘Re:Scource’ Sustainable Darkroom, London
‘The Mushroom Who Saw the Future’ Antennae 58 ‘Mycologies’: The Journal of Art and Nature
2018 Redstone Diary, ‘Home’, Redstone Press, 2018
2017 Essay in Object-Image S.Tulloch, Daylight Books, 2017
‘This is What I See’ Solo 368 page Artists Monograph with Kerber Verlag, Berlin (forthcoming Ed .Kate Best)
2015 ‘The Thin Blue Line / The Deep Red Sea – explorations of miscarriage and pregnancy loss’ NEPN, Essay by Camilla Brown
‘Growing up in the New Age - A Journey into Wonderland?’ in ‘Alternative Worlds – Blue Sky Thinking Since 1900’ Vidal, Cornils (eds.)
2013 ‘Growing up in the New Age’, Artists Monograph, Daylight, NY, Essays by Val Williams and Malcolm Dickson
2012 ‘One photograph: Life on the Floor’, Journal of Photography & Culture
‘Encountering the Counterculture’ Field Study 13 (with Dave, Walkling & Val Williams)
2007 'Résidence Astral' Portfolio Magazine, Spring issue
2006 'Villa Mona - A Proper Kind of House', Artists monograph published by Trace Editions with an essay by Camilla Brown
'Residence Astral - Field Study 7', Photography & the Archive Research Centre, London
2004 'Villa Mona - A Proper Kind of House', n.paradoxa - International Feminist Art Journal, issue 13 (Domestic Politics)
2003 'Fash N Riot', issue 2
2002 ‘ABC Magazine', issue C (ed. Hussein Chalayan)
'Fash N Riot', issue 1
2000 'Eventful: Photographic Time' (ed. Yve Lomax), Royal College of Art, London 'Royal College of Art Show', Royal College of Art, London (ex. cat.)
Selected Reviews
2020 ‘This is What I See’ Photomonitor Exhibition review James, H.
‘My Life through a Lens’, Chronicle Newspaper, North East
2014 ‘Inspirational Photo Books for 2014’ Newman, C and Bonagio, L. The Telegraph
2013 ‘Countercultural Lifeways’, Gidley, M. Book Review in Source Magazine
‘Growing up in the New Age’ Brown, C. Book Review in Photomonitor
2012 ‘Growing up in the New Age’ Stewart, S.Photography highlights on The Radio 2 Culture Show
2008 'Résidence Astral' Clark, R. Review, in Guardian Guide, April 19-26 p.36
'Villa Mona - A Proper Kind of House', Begbie, G. Book Arts Newsletter no. 31, UWE, Bristol
'Villa Mona - A Proper Kind of House', Hedges, R. Eight Magazine: Home, vol. 5, no. 4, spring 2007
2006 'Looking at the Overlooked' in 'Stilled: Contemporary Still Life Photography by Women', Brown, C. Ellipsis volume 3, pp. 74-75
'Ghost Worlds: Photography & the Family' Williams, V. in Exit Magazine no.20 spring
2002 ‘Showcase' Creative Review', May 2002
Residencies / Research Fellowships
2021-22 Artist in Residence: Photographic Garden with Sustainable Darkroom exploring eco-printing and Sustainable Photography, London & Leeds
2019 Northern Bridge - British School at Rome Residential
Selected for the Northern Bridge-British School at Rome Residential
2015-21 Artist in Residence at Dilston Physic Garden, Corbridge.
Artist in residence at Dilston Physic Garden undertaking ‘A Delicious Garden’ looking at the relationship between plants/gardens and people as part of PhD research https://dilstonphysicgarden.com/artist-in-residence/
2013-14 Artist in Residence at the Miscarriage Association Charity, Wakefield
Undertaken over a one-year period this project led to the creation of ‘The Thin Blue Line, The Deep Red Sea - explorations of miscarriage and pregnancy loss’.
200-/07 Visiting Research Fellow at PARC (Photography and the Archive Research
Centre) University of the Creative Arts, London.
This two-year fellowship looked at the effects of digital technologies on family photography and the shifting nature of these archives in the digital age.
2005 The Elephant Vanishes, Tate Modern, London
This weeklong residency invited artists, writers, filmmakers and photographers to explore Elephant and Castle prior to the planned 1.5 billion-regeneration of the area. This residency/workshop culminated with a performance and exhibition in the East Room at Tate Modern.
2002-03 Experimental Spaces Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, Hastings
Experimental Spaces offered artists the opportunity to use the gallery space to develop their own work and work with other artists in full view of the public. My work employed photography and Super 8 film to explore the relationship between people and place.
2003 Braziers International Artists Workshop, Oxfordshire
Braziers brought together 30 artists from the UK an abroad for 16 days to exchange dialogues and experiment in a way that was mutually beneficial. My work explored the communal environment through video and photography.
1999 Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
The Cité Internationale des Arts is for professional artists who want to develop an artistic work in France. During my month long residency I worked with Super 8/Video, Photography and sound to explore my turbulent relationship with Paris a place I lived as a 13year old girl during an unstable period in my childhood.
Selected Artists Talks, Symposiums & Conferences
2022 The Photographic Garden Symposium, Leeds Arts University – Artist from the Photographic garden Residency programme presented our research and practice on Sustainable Photography.
Phytogenesis II: Provocations of Plants, Philosophy and Photography
Co-organised with Dr Carole Baker our Keynotes included Uriel Orlow and Giovanni Aloi
2021 Shifts: Photography Environment, Action – Symposium on Sustainable and activist practices in Photography – Co-organised with NEPN – Keynote TJ Demos.
2020 Hope and Resistance in the Anthropocene’ Symposium – speaker - talk on ‘Plants and Protest: How to grow your art and eat it’
2017 Beyond the Visible: Contemporary visualizations of illness, loss and the ‘unseen’ in Photographic Practice, Newcastle
Speaker and organiser of symposium in collaboration with The Family Ties Network, Northern Charter and North East Photo Network, Newcastle.
2014 Patterns of Disclosure: The Narrative Document and Photographic Book
Plymouth University, Plymouth
Keynote speaker at symposium presenting my book ‘Growing up in the New Age’. I discussed the development of this artist initiated research project and set out to reconsider the social utopias of the 1960s and early 70s and what we might learn from them today.
2013 Family Ties Manchester Met University, Manchester
Following on from the selection of my paper ‘The Thin Blue Line, The Deep Red Sea: artists autobiographical explorations of pregnancy loss’ for the Family ties conference event at RGS in 2012, I presented work in progress alongside artist Rosy Martin at this Family Ties study day.
2011 Alternative Worlds The Institute for Germanic and Romance studies, University of London School of Advanced Study, London
The series is to examined the dreams, plans and hopes, but also the nightmares and fears reflected in utopian thinking since 1900 in the Western hemisphere. My talk focused on project ‘Growing up in the New Age’.
2008 Marking Space – Swansea Metropolitan University / CIRIC, Swansea
An interdisciplinary one-day symposium where artists and designers explored different interpretations of what it means to ‘mark space’. My talk focused on my art practice in a critical context exploring in particular how people ‘mark space’.
2006 Interacting with the Archive; Creative Approaches, National Glass Centre, Sunderland.
I co-organised this conference in collaboration with Michelle Allen and Interface, University of Ulster as part of the series of events; Performing the Archive. I also gave a paper on archives and artists working practices.
2007 Picturing the Family - From the Inside Out The National Portrait Gallery, London.
This one-day event looked at family Photography. My talk ‘Dirty Linen, Nausea and Belgian Waffles’ explored the question “Can a subject ever be too personal?”
2005 Art in Boxes PARC (Photography and the Archive research centre) University of the Creative Arts, London.
'Art in Boxes' was a series of seminars for invited speakers and MA and PhD students held at PARC. My talk asked, “Is the way photographs are collected and stored changing forever in the digital age? The talk also explored ideas of the miniature in Bachelard’s ‘Poetics of Space’.
Prizes, Awards & Funding
2022 Northern Bridge funding Award for the exhibition ‘A Rose, is a Rose is a Rose’
2020 Pioneer Award for Phytogenesis II Symposium
2019 Arts Council Funding (Supporting/development fund)
2018 Selected for British School at Rome research Award
Nomination for 100 Heroines in Photography award
Northern Bridge funding awarded for Doctoral Research
2016 Arts Council England Funding awarded for ‘A Gardeners Daughter’
2014 Winner of Pixel Pin Portfolio Award at Format Photo Festival
2013 Arts Council England Funding awarded for ‘The Thin Blue Line / The Deep Red Sea’
2012 Arts Council Funding Awarded for ‘Growing up in the New Age’ Artists Monograph and Touring exhibition
2011 Arts Council Funding Awarded for ‘Growing up in the New Age’ Research and Development
2009 Arts Council Funding Awarded for ‘Residence Astral’ Touring Exhibition
2008 Arts Council Funding Awarded for ‘Residence Astral’ Research and Development
2007 University of Sunderland and UCAL Research Development Fellowship Awarded for ‘The Last Picture Show’
2005 Arts Council Funding Awarded for ‘Villa Mona’ Artists Monograph
2003 Arts Council Funding Awarded for ‘Braziers International Artists workshop’
Industry Experience & Television
2006 Selected to represent The North on ‘A Digital Picture of Britain’/ twin programme to A Picture of Britain. (BBC1 & 2) / BBC location event Blackpool public workshops and meet the artist tour as part of ‘A Digital Picture of Britain’
1996-98 First Assistant to Award winning Photographer Jane Hilton.
Worked on shoots for The Observer, The Times, Next Directory, BHS, Freemans, Hush Puppies, Superdrug, GQ, Esquire and on Photographic exhibitions and books shot on location in Nevada dessert, Las Vegas and Palm Springs
Work in Collections
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Serralves Museum, Porto, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, East Sussex, Pavilion, Leeds, Private Collections, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art
