What Settles in the Light

What Settles in the Light responds to a commission from the British Journal of Photography and the Bodleian Libraries to create portraits that enter the Libraries' permanent collection—a visual chronicle spanning 988 to 2009. The commission's theme, "Catalysts," sought to address diversity gaps in both sitters and artists while capturing pivotal forces driving significant, long-term global impact.

The project brings together Vice-Chancellor's Award recipients and researchers whose stories reveal what catalysis means. Professor Nandini Das excavates trans-cultural histories challenging empire narratives whilst navigating her own multiple heritages. Professor Steve Strand, who nearly failed his A-levels, builds evidence-based frameworks addressing the educational inequalities he once faced. Alexis McGivern and Clarissa Salmon have trained 4,500 young climate activists across 177 countries. Dr Anne Makena and Professor Kevin Marsh created the Africa Oxford Initiative from complementary perspectives – she, an African doctoral student who'd navigated Oxford's barriers, he a researcher returning after 25 years in Kenya. The “We Are Our History” team – Antony Brewerton, Helen Worrell, Lanisha Butterfield, Abigail Hopkin, and Peter Brathwaite – led the Bodleian's institutional reckoning with race and colonial legacies, each bringing different expertise to collective transformation. Dr Samina Khan, three years old when she arrived from Pakistan to Leicester, now transforms how Oxford engages communities that are told the university "isn't for them." And finally, Professor Sir Peter Horby, whos RECOVERY trial redefined the pandemic response through a 15-minute conversation and 9 days of relentless work.

At its core, this project uses oral histories and photography to capture catalysts through their own voices – inviting each person to tell their story of becoming. It traces the journey from who they were to who they are now, creating a moment to reflect on the work that defines them. These conversations form the foundation for visual triptychs exploring three distinct moments: the details of their work, the spaces where we see its impact, and portraits of the people who initiated change. This approach mirrors how we actually encounter both research and lives: first through effects, then through contexts, and finally through the individuals themselves.

You can hear the stories for yourself here.