Work from way back in the day- 80’s and 90’s London protests, Berlin Wall, Prague Anti Globalisation, squats and so much more. Bit of a mash up…
more to come as I sort through my negatives
Author Archives: tceefoto
Herstory Wipeout- locating the “F” word
For a few years I have observed an interesting dynamic whenever there is a dialogue around women and photography. For me, I feel an ongoing tension that a lot of women are unable to use “feminism” or “feminist” as they talk about their practice or experiences.
An example last year was a photographic celebration of International Women’s Day during which both individual presentations and a panel discussion took place. The participants where all noted women involved in making work as photographers, writers, educators. Not one of the women presenting or discussing their work used the “F” word; the women hosting the event was herself referenced as a “bra burner” by one of the panelists as she tried to steer discussions into a dialogue that reflected the reason why the women were participating- International Women’s Day.
Recently, another example slapped me round the face. I very belatedly became aware of Eugenie Dolberg’s ground-breaking partnership with 12 Iraqi women “Open Shutters Iraq”, writing about and photographing their experiences in 2006/7 (and still, heartbreakingly, very pertinent). As part of the Brighton Photo Biennial, she presented this work with accompanying text and slides. The audience was 90% women, mostly young, and it was packed. The work was passionate and vital, and at great mortal risk of all those involved, came out of a “ferocious desire to not be written out of history”. Eugenie herself was clear that this was a “political action”, less a participatory or community based “project”. Other concerns arose such as what do you do with an archive whereby the subjects and those that produced it could be at physical risk, depending on who was in power, which militia had control.
Eugenie talked about the work coming from feelings, how this was at the core of the journey each woman took. She was clear about her role of sharing her technical skills with the women, so that they used photography in the way they chose to represent their feelings and experiences. That she very much felt that people should not be given power “they have to take it”. As she spoke it became apparent that her approach seemed based on a feminist ethos. I wanted to ask about this, whether she came from a feminist position, for example, and if the work would have had a different outcome either way. I did not. I sat stewing with myself on why I felt silenced, why I allowed it. However, despite this, I left the talk inspired and keen to find out more about her work and that of the women (of which, two have since been killed).
The next day I delved into Photoworks latest publication “Communities, Collectives and Collaboration”. Eugenie, together with Anthony Luvera, and others involved in participative practice, took part in a round table discussion. As someone with a keen interest in the notion of participative photography, this chapter was hugely helpful in unpicking what is meant by this or being “socially engaged”. However, what captured my attention was Eugenie’s use of the “F” word. The work she made in Syria with the Iraqi women is something she felt had been labelled “participative” but on reflection that she might have insisted the project was a “… political feminist action”. She overcame life-threatening obstacles alongside the women, to get their stories told despite people saying it was impossible to get a group together of various cultural and religious backgrounds. Eugenie refused to label, and with the women, worked to produce work about women, children and family that was otherwise not being made, and that perhaps that was her “feminist action”. ( I cannot here do justice to their work or their approach and highly recommend you explore the project online or get the book, or watch the accompanying film “Our feelings took the pictures”).
After reading the chapter, I was left with a lot of questions. One theme is recurring. At the talk, why did Eugenie not describe the work a “political feminist action”? Why did I not follow my guts and explore what I sensed was a feminist approach and ask her? Why is there an almost overbearing silence, or even denial, of work coming from a feminist approach? What are we saying about photographers who made the way forward a little easier for the generations ahead, and who were proudly and fiercely feminist (including a handful of men). Why is there almost an embarrassment to “go there.” Personally, I am proud that I was influenced by feminism, to be a feminist, a perspective that informs and nurtures me; the questioning that refuses to shut up (in my head at least), and appreciation of what women the world over have gone through and still go through to live, to survive, to create.
Always remember.
Click to access Trolley_Eugenia-video-ok.pdf
http://www.oxymoronfilms.com/openshutters.htm
In development: PE-PP-PET-PMMA
Miniclick- Everyones a Curator
Sorry to have been unable to attend this, but happy that from the photos posted of the event, 2 of my three submissions were used. Here is an account of the day by Miniclicks Jim Stephenson:
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On Saturday 11th October we bought back our ‘Everyone’s A Curator’ event for the Brighton Photo Fringe and Biennial, an evolving experimental exhibition that is created and curated during the day by the collected masses.
We had loads of people come to the Miniclick Business Concern during the day to help with the curation. We spent 6hrs going through the submitted images on a projector, selecting ones that caught the crowd’s eyes and printing them there and then to be pinned on the wall and added to the exhibition, in an attempt to make a coherent presentation from over 150 completely unconnected submitted images. As the day went on, images appeared that fitted into a series of clustered themes that had been growing and growing. Clusters began to merge into one another and images were moved around to accommodate this.
As an exercise in creating connections between a series of random images it was fascinating. Equally fascinating was to see how a group of people can interpret the same images in completely different ways.”
Vimeo link: http://vimeo.com/108702803
Camber Sands Scratch
Miniclick- The Heart Grows Fonder
The Heart Grows Fonder
Inspired by Marshall McLuhan’s seminal book “The Medium is the Massage”, Miniclick present a brand new in-print and online experimental participatory project, ‘The Heart Grows Fonder’ (‘Photography as Repair’), which focuses upon the importance of communication and community.
www.theheartgrowsfonder.com, all submissions received before October 20th will be printed out on individual sheets for an all day event on Saturday 25th October where visitors will be able curate their own book from submissions. Miniclick will be on hand to help bind the books and the day will also include a series of talks and discussions from ABC.
London Analogue Festival, select eight of my Hassy images
So happy to have had a series of images “Beach Topography” accepted by the LAF curators, very grateful. http://www.analoguefestival.com/
The venue is Oxo Tower Bargehouse on London’s Southbank.
New Collective endeavour- “Merge” emerges!
In May, a photographer whose work I have a lot of respect for, Paul Daly, approached me to set up a collective of artists. We are in the early stages of growth, and will be seeking artists who have a similar mindset to grow the group, slowly, slowly.
In the meantime Brighton Photo Fringe invited Collectives in the UK and beyond to submit a body of work for their Collectives Hub, as part of BPF14. We were ecstatic they selected our submission “Sea of Plastic” an environment-focused project. I offer sincere gratitude for this opportunity.
http://www.photofringe.org/bpf14/vantage-point-collectives-hub
Contact Merge Collective
Tweet us: @MergeCollective
Email us: info@merge-collective.com
Website on its way…
“salt”- on motherhood/daughterhood
This is a project I am working on with the TriPod project development group led by Miranda Gavin and Wendy Pye. I am exploring my experience as a mother of a teenage girl embarking on young womanhood, and how to reflect this shared journey visually; feelings of loss/transition/gains. This project will include some poems. Using analogue, digital and scanned photographs.
Haikus for Salt Project
Three years of lunar cycles
Five hearts fluttered into ink
Each a breath of hope.
You grow, taking paths
They divide loop and detour
I know how to wait.
My eyes leech salt as
I surge the sea, horizon
drifts me back to calm
Then you need my arms
Your hair waterfalls softly
Eroding edges.
Push/Pull
You are restless, cannot sleep
Draw against me, and soon your breath deepens into a rhythm
I have felt and heard all your life.
Your eyes are busy,
Scan up and down the backlit
Determinations
That defeat me.
I am still
Still here
You retreat from me
Alone and not
I remain still
Sometimes desolate.
I see you as I felt long ago
I know.
It is all so new and fast for you
The internal and the world as it is.
I will be here
Still
When you need to be.
Concrete and Chalk
Tee Chandler Photographer 
