Planning the exhibition

For the degree show, I have been mocking up what a large scale montage of the peace mountain would look like.  I have printed and stuck small versions of the prints to get a sense of the look/feel and to help approximate the scale.

The whole engagement with both places as subjects is to see what can be achieved in positive intervention. The final exhibition will attempt to start dialogue about the tensions both in Luton and Iraq and the relationship between the two places.  I aim to print and display the final works on large digital c-type prints and have considered recreating the peace for Luton mountain in a large photo-montage, which I collected the images for at the site.

Exhibition: Art 6 group show

I am exhibiting with 5 other artists in a group show in the Crypt gallery in St Martin in the Fields by Trafelgar Square.  

Iraq Exhibition

Here are some photos form my solo exhibition in the Ismail Khayat gallery in Iraq June 2012.

Visual Art pop up gallery

I facilitated a pop exhibition of art work by local artists in and aroun the streets of Luton, specificallt over the duration of the Love Luton 2012 Festival.

Exhibition in Iraq <> Exhibition in the UK

This part of the project is concentrating on two main stages. Firstly, I have put on a solo exhibition in the Ismail Khayat gallery in Iraq. Secondly, I will be exhibiting in a group degree show in the UK. The juxtaposition of these two exhibitions and the dialogue they create is where this part of the project lies. I also have a couple of exhibitions scheduled for October 2012 in the Crypt Gallery off Trafalgar Square and The Exhibition Hall at Stockwood Discovery Centre in April 2013. I will also aim to show some of the new work I have created. These, however, fall outside the time frame of the MA.

Show Luton to Iraqi's

Previously in the UK I have showed people what Iraqi people are like: their lives, their places of work and their homes. I have been attempting to go beyond the media and address some of the stereotypes and assumptions. However, there are direct parallels with what I have been doing and early photography’s relationship to colonisation.  I have been researching concepts that touch on colonial and post-colonial theory in art.   I would never support a colonial perspective or celebrate its effect on the world, yet I have regularly mimicked/reflected their actions in my own work. In as much as I have photographed distant and ‘exotic’ lands and brought them back to England to present them as an artefact.  In an attempt to reject colonial patterns developing in my own practice, I have intentionally taken work back to Iraq that was created in Luton and showcased my own culture to local people.  It has become a cultural exchange. The exhibition is part of an on going aim to tell stories and challenge perceptions through my work. 

Video of solo exhibition in Iraq

As part of the exhibition I got local people to give their views of the work and how they felt about the work I had been showing in Luton and the rest of the UK.

I collected feedback at the exhibition and the general response was very positive. I have documented the English speaking interviews in this video.  The gallery has now mounted the work and is touring it around a number of galleries and locations in the region. It was important that the subject of the exhibition was from Luton, this is both because it is where I live and because of the tensions the town is facing.  

Reflection: Iraq exhibition

British people have ideas, pre-conceptions and stereotypes about what people are like in Iraq and the Middle East.  Equally people who live in these areas have ideas, pre-conceptions and stereotypes about what British people are like. I aimed to show some common humanity and the beauty and dignity to be found in every culture and society. There are three collections of work I exhibited in Iraq; Firstly, a project called Lutopia, which is reproductions of large scale photomontages, depicting everyday scenes from Luton in the UK.  Secondly, the portraits of everyday people living in the town.  Thirdly, there are prints showing some of the exhibitions and events in the UK, that showcased work by Kurdish and Arab artists and photographers.  The project attempts to challenge sensationalist or traditional art responses to war and war zones. I tried to address the cross cultural notion of the “other” or foreigner by showing common humanity.

Different Departures Degree Show Video

University of Bedfordshire Degree Show 2012 from ATP Media on Vimeo.

I directed a short video on the degree shows for the undergraduate degrees at the University of Bedfordshire

Exhibition: All that I am

I went to the launch of the new space for the Departure Lounge project, an exhibition called: "All that I am" a group show of portrait photographers; Julie Cook, Jane Hilton and Nancy Newberry.  The images were stunning, a real insight into their respective subjects.  The varied scale and presentation of the work made for an interesting show and was well attended, it is good news for Luton.

Exhibition invites in Arabic and Kurdish

Poster and CV translated into Kurdish

 

Poster for Iraqi/Luton exhibitions

As part of my challenge by Hannah Birkett in a tutorial was to look at creating some promotional material.  As the exhibition in Iraq has primarily been organised by people there, I had not considered creating something for people here.  As the work being shown is varied and the content is less important then the act of actually exhibiting there, it is a challenge to design a poster with no examples of work in it.  I do not consider myself a strond designer, so this is a brave attempt for me.

I have been preparing the prints for my show in the Ismail Khayat Gallery in Iraq.  Due to the challenges over there and the need to transport the exhibition, there are a number of restrictions on the work.  This has meant I have had to cut out some of the series and concentrate on the work which will help me accomplish my goals; show work from Luton to people in Iraq, to show them what I have been doing in the UK and to get there responses to both.

Transition Exhibition Video

Transition/Pâreja Exhibition from ATP Media on Vimeo.

Here is a video we made for the Transition exhibition.

Exhibition: Olympic champions from before

This is a local exhibition of portraits of olympic champians from decades a go.  The show was interesting, but for me the connection of photography and passing time came accross very strong.

Exhibition: Transition

Click on the image to see more images.

In the gallery space in the UNiversity of Bedfordshire, four Latvian print makers put on a show of recent prints.  

Exhibition: Yayoi Kusama at the Tate Modern

I went to see the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Tate Modern.  As one of the foremost Japonese artists, she is best known for her dots.  This installation, involving mirrors and lights, was both disoreintating and wonderfully emmersive.  Again, I am struck by the presence and scale of installation works and it makes me want to look at persuing some of my own.

Iraq - The Forgotten Story, behind the scenes.

Here are some phone photos from behind the scenes of the touring exhibition: Iraq - The Forgotten Story.

Iraq - The Forgotten Story Exhibition in Wales

Click on image to see the other images.