“If you know how to do what I do you can make anyone forget why they’re there, and when you reach that moment all kinds of secrets reveal themselves.” – Chris Floyd
At the heights of Britpop, Chris Floyd‘s photography became famous. He’s now one of the most in-demand celebrity portrait photographers in the world. He’ll be at the fourth Photo North Festival this year, exhibiting a selection of portraits from his book Not Just Pictures, dedicated to his 30 year career.
Chris will be talking about the highlights, as he puts it, the “unique encounters on the confrontation and collaboration line”.
Curators of Photo North, Peter Dench and Sharon Price, have secured participation from Chris Floyd, Richard Ansett, Joanne Coates, Roy Mehta and Tessa Bunney. Their backdrop at The Faversham will be book and zine stalls, screenings, networking and a licensed bar, with exhibitions that are open to the public for three days.
Richard Ansett, who won first prize Sony World Photography Award for A Portrait of Grayson Perry – BIRTH, will be exhibiting a selection from his reportage FAT. Richard’s images are the documentation of a group of contributors days before they were due for surgery, when they were detached from the shame and humiliation of their obesity and were looking forward to a new life promised by surgery.
Joanne Coates will exhibit her remarkable Daughters of the Soil: Women make up 28% of the farming industry in the UK. Despite playing a central role in agricultural progress throughout history, documentation of female farmworkers is slim; their contribution overlooked. Daughters of the Soil aims to redress this and create a powerful portrait of the role women play in contemporary farming practices.
Tessa Bunney exhibits Going to the Sands, stunning photographs of Morecambe Bay fishing families.
Dean Belcher‘s BELONG presents intimate photographs inside Working Men’s Clubs.
Roy Mehta’s exquisite black and white photographs from his reportage, REVIVAL, capture the daily rituals of London borough of Brent’s various communities in 1989 to 1993. These are most notably the Afro-Caribbean and Irish, engaged in seemingly simple activities at home, in the street and at church.
Sofia Conti‘s Return, O Backsliding Children is a multimedia based collaboration with communities in the East End of Glasgow, documenting how crime encroaches upon their daily lives.
Postcards From the Edge, is a group show celebrating the colour and character of the English seaside with contributions from Barry Lewis, Peter Dench, Heather Tait, Gisela & Craig Szlatoszlavek, Hannah Cassidy and Dawn Mander.
Peter Dench, Photo North Festival’s co-founder and curator: “We recognise people are passionate about photography. Photo North Festival aims to introduce or advance understanding of the medium through our programme of exhibitions – to inspire and engage debate. We have one perfect venue, with headline events and renowned photographers confirmed, and the list is growing. The creativity in planning the Festival format, talks and screenings is something unique to offer people in the north of England and beyond.”
Sharon Price, Festival co-founder and curator: “We’ve chosen thought-provoking works that provide relevant social commentary on some quite hard-hitting issues. We also have the beautiful and the poignant, that will appeal not only to enthusiasts seeking to be challenged, but also to those seeking a feast for the senses.”
Sharon and Peter have secured the sensational line up to deliver a thought-provoking, lively and inclusive festival that will appeal to the professional photographer, photo-enthusiast, keen amateur and anyone who wishes to engage with the timeless appeal of the medium.
Once again, Photo North Festival promises to be one of the most exciting and engaging photo exhibitions in the UK.
Cover photograph from Tessa Bunney’s ‘Going to the Sands’.
