’In our earliest years we know a patch of ground in detail we will never know anywhere again – site of discovery and putting names to things – people and places – working with difference and similitude – favourite places, places to avoid – neighbours and their habits, gestures and stories – textures, smells – also of play, imagination, experiment – finding the best location for doing things – creating worlds under our own control, fantasy landscapes. (Professor Mike Pearson)
Photographers and artists have always found inspiration in their immediate location. There is a concept within Welsh culture called Y Filltir Sgwar (The Square Mile), described above by Professor Mike Pearson. It is the immediate connection between people and their childhood ‘home’ surroundings.
This assignment asks us to create a series of six to twelve photographs in response to the concept of ‘The Square Mile’. I decided to re-trace places that I know in and around my hometown. My initial idea slightly deviated from the concept. I wanted to capture the areas that I would hang out as a child which would be a square mile within my village. However, the series I wanted to create was similar to a before and after concept. The before being areas I’d hang out in as a child and the after being places I’d hang out now that I am older. So, the first set of photographs in the series follow the Square Mile concept. The second set deviate from the concept but follow on from the first set complementing each other nicely.
The first six photos are familiar areas that I used to hang out in as a child, I was young and playing out in the fields was the best thing to do. The last six photos are areas I’d hang out in as I got older. I started to drive and could visit different places. The pubs became the familiar places.
Artist Research
I was given a list of artists to research and the first one to catch my eye going down the list was Gawain Barnard. He is a Welsh photographer whose work combines documentary techniques with poetic sensibilities to create a constructed visual narrative. He made a few series of photographs focusing mainly on nature. This is what drew me to his work because I thoroughly enjoy taking photos of nature myself. Particularly the Transitional Echoes series. If I was in that setting, I would have taken that photo myself. I like the eeriness of the trees in the fog.
The second artist in the list that caught my eye was Roni Horn. Particularly her photographic project titled Her, Her, Her and Her. Horn was intrigued by the 1928 swimming pool locker rooms because they resemble a seemingly never-ending maze of passageways and compartments with peepholes in the doors creating an endless network of views. I was drawn to this because of the context behind it.
The third artist that drew me in was Tom Hunter with his Ghetto Series. The photographs feature his friends and neighbours in Hackney when he was squatting in the London Fields East community. They were taken as a part of a campaign to protect the community from developers and the Hackney council. Fourteen years later, the community remains and is central to a thriving Hackney neighborhood, where the artist, Tom Hunter, still resides. I particularly liked this series because I enjoy taking candid photos of friends as they capture the present moment which you look back on in the future and reminisce.
Last but not least, this artist inspired me the most with their photographic projects. Karen Knorr is a German artist who uses documentary photograph techniques. The Belgravia series, set in 1979 London, explores class and power during the early Thatcher era through images and texts. Focused on the cosmopolitan and wealthy Belgravia neighborhood, the series includes the artist’s own family but aims to depict a group and their ideas rather than individuals. These “non-portraits” avoid flattery or truth, leaving subjects anonymous. The work captures the everyday life of a privileged minority and blends image and text to create a sarcastic, yet realistic, depiction. The collaboration between the artist and subjects, who are treated as actors performing their identities, adds a constructed and ironic layer to the series.
Summary
The initial response to the “Square Mile” project, which involved exploring and documenting a specific one-mile area, I felt a sense of confusion. This confusion stemmed mainly from the Welsh name for it, I don’t understand the Welsh language therefore struggled to pronounce it let alone understand it. It was difficult to understand the depth of the task within the confines of such a seemingly small and defined space but I feel like I was just overthinking that part.
I looked at the work of all artists mentioned in the list however, the four artists I chose – Gawain Barnard, Roni Horn, Tom Hunter, and Karen Knorr – offer valuable perspectives that will significantly influence my future work in this project.
Reflecting on my own strengths, I realize that my ability to capture unique angles in photographs is a significant asset. This skill allows me to present familiar scenes from fresh perspectives, uncovering hidden aspects of the environment. However, the weakness in this project was that I did not utilized my DSLR camera or any advanced editing techniques, relying instead on more basic tools such as my iPhone. This limitation has likely impacted the quality and depth of my photographic work. However I believe my photos are still of a good quality and communicate my idea nonetheless. Moving forward, I will incorporate my DSLR camera and employ editing techniques.
Contact Sheet
Barnard, G. TRANSITIONAL ECHOES. At: https://www.gawainbarnard.com/to-the-reality-of-dreams [accessed 20/05/24]
Horn, R. Her, Her, Her, and Her. The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. At: https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/17547 [accessed 20/05/24]
Hunter, T. The Ghetto, 1993-1994. At: http://www.tomhunter.org/the-ghetto-series/ [accessed 20/05/24]
K, Knorr. Belgravia. At: https://karenknorr.com/photography/belgravia/ [accessed 20/05/24]
A Journey Through a Creative Arts Degree 