Barbara Sheldrake, Jo Newbury & Mark Lunn - Enviro-Mental
In Trapezium’s 9th exhibition, three local photographers took the word Enviro-Mental as a starting point, and looked at how the environment is being encroached upon by people, how they pollute it through irresponsible tipping and how some of this trash can be used as art, to illustrate the damage we do. This is a worldwide problem; it affects all of us in our everyday lives.
The Exhibition consisted of 3 parts:
One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Art - Barbara Sheldrake
I am unashamedly in love with photography. This led me to joining Halifax Photographic Society where I gained further knowledge and the confidence to study for a BA honours degree in photography at Bradford College of Art. I gained my Bachelor of Arts degree in 2018. I have since set up my own studio in Halifax from where I deliver photographic workshops, portrait photography, weddings, and hire the studio to other photographers.
I am a dedicated photographer who has exhibited at the Industrial Museum, Bradford and the National Science and Media Museum, Bradford. I have worked alongside John O'Shea at Bradford Science and Media Museum to produce a workshop on pinhole photography to go alongside their exhibition, called Poetic Light, which is now in the pinhole museum in Santé Fe, New Mexico in the USA. My work has also been shown at several other galleries around West Yorkshire.
With all the beauty in Britain why are we being blighted by the brazen practice of fly tipping? We are lucky we have these areas to visit so why don’t we look after the picturesque landscape in our country? I found no less than 18 areas within a five-mile radius of my home town, strewn with rubbish and the majority is household waste. So why, in short, are we turning our Britain into a tip? Should we be raising the importance of how we tackle the serious problem of fly-tipping?
Where some people see trash, I see art; some people will only see a pile of meaningless rubbish. Whether the viewer agrees is in their interpretation of the work. Hopefully as we look around Britain, we can see the potential in many of the items we carelessly throw away each and every day.
Encroachment - Jo Newbury
This work mainly concentrates on the natural environment as it exists today. Whilst the images display the landscape in what might be described as an ideal state, the natural environment is still under immense pressure from human activity and therefore is still not ideal. This is represented through the use of many layers and other techniques used to create an impression of the landscape rather than the 'perfect' vision of the land. Some of the inspirations for these works have come from artists such as JMW Turner as well as photographers such as Idris Khan.
Currently studying for my Masters degree, having completed my BA (hons), I have had work exhibited in various places in and around Bradford. These have included: The National Science and Media Museum, Bradford Industrial Museum, Bankfield museum and Dean Clough to name a few.
Plastic Fantastic – Mark Lunn
The intention of this project is hopefully not to preach about the virtues of recycling, but to bring about a recognition of the wonders of plastic: a product that the modern world is arguably built on. I want to create an appreciation of this most wonderful of substances. After all, if I can pick it up from the street and use it to produce thought-provoking images, then just imagine what engineers and designers could create with the same unwanted plastic. Creating a better direction to approach recycling, less as an obligation and more as an attitude of being thankful for this versatile creation of the modern world.
My interest in photography began when I was given a camera as a birthday gift. Once I had grasped the principles of photography, it became something of a fascination for me. Much to the annoyance of friends, it wasn’t long before I was securing enough attention to consider becoming a professional. This began a business as a social photographer until deciding to study for a BA Hons in photography.
I have exhibited at several galleries around Bradford including the National Science and Media Museum, Bradford Industrial Museum, and South Square Gallery. Also, I had 29 of my images accepted into the Palace of the Governors Photo Museum Archives, New Mexico USA.
External Links:
Telegraph and Argus - Exhibition at Bradford gallery explores pollution and litter
Dates:
3rd to 24th August 2019
Artists:
Barbara Sheldrake
Jo Newbury
Mark Lunn