“The Taking Part residency is an extremely exciting opportunity, which acknowledges a rich history of community-based photographic practice within the UK, but also highlights the way in which methodologies of participation and collaboration––making work with people, rather than taking photographs of people––is becoming an increasingly refined and innovative contemporary practice. – Gemma-Rose Turnbull
Taking Part is a series of four participatory artist residencies at Photofusion. Through this programme, Photofusion seeks to create space for discussion and developments in the field of collaborative arts, and to support emerging participatory artists with intensive support, supervision and sharing opportunities. Each artist is receiving mentoring from Anthony Luvera.
The Taking Part residencies will provide a foundation for our resident artists to test ideas, work with community groups, and extend their participatory artistic practice. Gemma-Rose Turnbull is one of the residents, and is using her residency to set up a temporary community-based photographic studio in central Brixton––using portraiture and conversation to explore what community might want from photography, and what photography wants from community. This process seeks to produce a layered body of publicly visible work, which reflects a diverse community.
She has invited collaborator Eliza Gregory to join her in forming the temporary studio, expanding an earlier work made in collaboration with Sharita Towne and Betty Marín, Memorybildia. For four days in October Gregory and Turnbull will be making free portraits at Brixton Pound, on the site of the old Mr Biggs family portrait studio (which is now a multi use space, including being Brixton’s first pay-what-you-feel cafe). Everyone is welcome to come and have a photo made.
Date: Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 October 2017
Times: 10 – 5 Thursday & Friday / 10 – 4 Saturday / 10 – 2 Sunday
Place: 77 Atlantic Road, SW9 8PU
