All Things Considered

A conversation with Ed Kluz
Posted by Simon Lewin

We're pleased to announce the launch of a short film about the work of Ed Kluz.

Filmed and edited by Alun Callender, Ed Kluz discusses his work, inspiration and working practices. The film is shot on location at Racton Tower in West Sussex and at Ed's Brighton studio and home.

Ed is currently collaborating with us at St Jude's on a range of fabrics and wallpapers. You might like to take a look at his Painswick and Lionheart fabrics.

Ed will also be taking part in an exhibition of prints, paintings and collages that we're organising in Edinburgh in July.

Posted by Simon Lewin on April 10th, 2013

Silt
Posted by Simon Lewin

 In The Old Ways, Robert Macfarlane continues to write about his experience of walking and observing as he passes through landscapes - some dramatic and some more mundane. 

For Silt, one of the most striking chapters of his brilliant recent book, bestselling travel writer Robert Macfarlane walked the Broomway, the notorious 'deadliest path in Britain'.

He was accompanied on this journey along along the Essex offshore path (which has claimed the lives of more than sixty people over the centuries) by his friend and accomplished photographer David Quentin.

Penguin Books are publishing a special e-book edition of Silt which will feature all of David's photographs from the journey, all taken on 35mm black and white film using a Leica rangefinder.

Until April 13th 2013 the photographs are exhibited in London at 4 Windmill Street, accompanied by a specially commissioned sound piece by musicians Jimmy Cripps and Rico Borza, and sound designer Jesse T. Rybolt. Find out more

You'll find lots of Robert Macfarlane related content published by our friends Caught By The River.

Posted by Simon Lewin on April 4th, 2013

The Face of the Artist
Posted by Simon Lewin

Popped into the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich earlier for a look at 'The Face of the Artist', an exhibition of photography by John Hedgecoe.

Hedgecoe (1932–2010) was at the forefront of portrait photography for more than 50 years, taking pictures of the leading figures in the worlds of art, literature, science and politics, from Agatha Christie to Winston Churchill. It's his portrait of the Queen taken in 1966 that still graces British postage stamps.

The exhibition features a number of photographs of artists including Sir Stanley Spencer, Graham Sutherland, Henry Moore and Dame Barbara Hepworth (examples of the latter below).

The exhibition runs at The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich until 4th December 2011.

Posted by Simon Lewin on August 5th, 2011

Edwin Smith
Posted by Simon Lewin

We managed to catch the last day of Edwin Smith's exhibition of photographs and paintings at Moray Art Centre yesterday.

Having initially trained as an architect, Smith (1912-1971) is perhaps best know for his photography and particularly his exploration of the vernacular in architecture.

But the exhibition also featured a number of Smith's paintings - here is an example, 'Turf Fire', which is on loan from the Fry Art Gallery in Saffron Walden.

Merrell publish a great book featuring Edwin Smith's photography and you can view and order digital prints from the RIBA photograph archive.

Posted by Simon Lewin on July 3rd, 2011

Fenwomen
Posted by Simon Lewin

Caught By The River have just published Ken Worpole's review of  'Fenwomen - A Portrait Of Women In An English Village' by Mary Chamberlain with photographs by Justin Partyka, published by Full Circle Editions.

"This handsome new edition from East Anglian publisher, Full Circle Editions, contains a vibrant and colourful photo-essay of contemporary life in the village by acclaimed photographer Justin Partyka. This gives the new edition a particular resonance to today’s Fenland inhabitants, who will recognise modern village life in these images, though they stand in some contrast to the life described in the original interviews. The photographs – some peopled, some wholly concerned with the arable landscape, the drains and ditches and the large skies – are finely composed and atmospheric, yet they also raise unresolved questions about how to represent the human presence in the landscape without seeming too super-realist, too Martin Parr."

Read the review in full or view more of Justin Partyka's work.

Posted by Simon Lewin on March 1st, 2011

Spitalfields Market Portraits
Posted by Simon Lewin

Fifty photographs of Antiques Market traders by Jeremy Freedman - from 10th February - 10th March

In 2010, East End culture blog www.spitalfieldslife.com published a weekly series of profiles, telling the stories of the traders in the Spitalfields Antiques Market accompanied with vibrant images by photographer Jeremy Freedman. And the result is a distinguished body of portraiture, recording the diverse personalities who come together to create London’s pre-eminent weekly antiques market.

The first exhibition by Spitalfields Life will show fifty of these photographs at three venues in Spitalfields, The Golden Heart in Commercial St, Agnes b. in the Spitalfields Market and Rough Trade East in the Truman Brewery.

Jeremy Freedman’s ancestors came to Spitalfields from Holland in the eighteenth century, his great-great-great-great grandfather was one of the founders of Sandys Row Synagogue in 1854, and today Spitalfields Life presents his debut exhibition as a celebration of this unique neighbourhood at the heart of London.

Spitalfields Market Portraits is produced with the support of Nido, Spitalfields who have paid the costs of creating the show as a gesture of goodwill to the local community.

Opening event: 10th February 5-8pm at The Golden Heart, Commercial St, (hosted by Sandra Esqulant, the East End’s most famous landlady), Agnes B. in the Spitalfields Market and Rough Trade East in the Truman Brewery.

Posted by Simon Lewin on February 8th, 2011

Frances Kearney
Posted by Simon Lewin

Opening today is an exhibition of large-scale colour photographs by Norfolk based artist Frances Kearney.

Frances studied Photography at the Royal College of Art; she exhibits nationally and internationally and has work in Collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Saatchi Collection.

The exhibition is at the Norwich Arts Centre and runs until Monday 31st August, open 10am-6pm.

Posted by Simon Lewin on July 11th, 2009

Poladroid
Posted by Kate Sullivan

It wasn't too long ago that I was pondering on whether to pay the extortionate price for a pack of Polaroid films but having just come across a link to a free download on Poladroid.net,  I no longer need to.

This download looks brilliant and easy to use from what I gather, you simply drag your digital image onto the Poladroid icon then wait... then slowly you watch your print develop or if you are too impatient, you can speed it up by a bit of virtual shaking. What you then get is a greyed edge, square photo that looks like a picture from the past.

Check out the Flickr group dedicated to Poladroid images by clicking here.

Posted by Kate Sullivan on January 2nd, 2009

FFFFound
Posted by Kate Sullivan

The trouble with the Internet's buzzing social scene, is that one can easily start to drift away from having a real-life social scene, you know, one which involves leaving the house and using your hands to gesticulate not just to move a mouse. Or if like me, you just manage to juggle the two social activities, you then find yourself chatting and marvelling about all the online engagements you are logging on to, such as flickr, del.icio.us, Wists, BlinkList including numerous suggestions of blogs you enjoy.

But if it's images you like, then I highly recommend looking at FFFFound.com. It's a gallery where FFFFound members (it's now invite only) post their favourite images found on the web. FFFFound then suggests other images that are similar that you may also like. It's a great source of inspiration and of course, leads you on to finding even more interesting and inspiring people.

The t-shirt pictured, is by Howies - February's t-shirt of the week.

Posted by Kate Sullivan on April 3rd, 2008

Fantastic Plastic Cameras
Posted by Kate Sullivan

I popped into Harry Cory Wright's stylish and very green Saltwater Gallery in Burnham Market last week. Looking around the gallery I was excited to see that he is now selling a range of very affordable plastic (film format) cameras namely the Holga, Diana and a fish-eye lensed camera I've forgotten the name of.

As much as I love digital cameras for there immediacy and economical use, I do also love the idea of using film again. Not just because you may think more about what you are snapping but also for the different qualities film lets you achieve.

Whilst searching for information on 'toy' cameras, I found an excellent and comprehensive photographic site, Lomography.com. If like me, you have no idea what Lomography means, click here and Wikipedia will tell you all. I've also  found a Holga enthusiast at Squarefrog.co.uk and if you find Flickr addictive, visit the Toy Camera group to see what is so fantastic about plastic lenses.

Posted by Kate Sullivan on March 26th, 2008