After a recent trip to this year’s city of culture, Bradford, visiting three differing photographic exhibitions: Nationhood: Memory and Hope at Impression Gallery, Kodak Gallery and David Hockey’s Pieced Together, both at the Science and Media Museum. I came back from the trip filled with new perspectives on photography, identity, and creative possibilities. This trip offered me a chance to reflect not just on contemporary practices, but also on my relationship with analog photography.

Beginning the day at Impressions Gallery, the curated Nationhood: Memory and Hope exhibition featured a diverse range of works exploring identity, history, and the experiences of global diasporas. Eight artists’ work celebrated the diversity of the UK today, offering an insight into how each of us tries to shape our own identities and communities to make the UK and the world a better place. What stood out immediately was how each of the eight emerging artists used photography as a tool for both documentation and resistance. Evoking a profound emotional connection with me, demonstrating photography’s immense power in its ability to shape dominant narratives about nationhood.

Among the successes of work, I was particularly moved by Aïda Muluneh and Chad Alexander’s imagery. The Necessity of Seeing by Aïda Muluneh was a new major collection of constructed images by the acclaimed Ethiopian photographer. Shot at four differing locations in the UK: Bradford, Belfast, Cardiff, and Glasgow, the fifteen black and white powerful portraits celebrated unsung local heroes, revealing the overlooked stories, forgotten histories and quiet moments that shape and strengthen who we are. 

The stark red wall behind the portraits further highlighted to me the power of the people, contrasting beautifully against the soft white frames. This introduction of colour made me and the exhibition committee consider whether having a number of painted walls may add more interest to the graduation show in June. This series of work by Muluneh felt timeless yet urgent in today’s climate, the continuous use of bold colour, pattern, and symbolism held such visual power. Each portrait felt like a call to see identity beyond surface and stereotype.

Chad Alexander’s poignant series captured the transformation of the Tropicana in Dungannon from an Irish National Foresters club into a multicultural community hub, exploring the themes of class and environment in Northern Ireland, yet felt globally resonant.

The quiet, observational approach to the subject matter carried an emotional vulnerability that I hadn’t felt before. This was further highlighted by the soft lighting and the connection each subject had to the frame. What I appreciated most about this exhibition was the diversity of style and voice, reminding me how expansive photography can be as a tool for storytelling, memory-making, and truth-telling.

After experiencing and discussing this work with my peers, we moved onwards to the David Hockney: Pieced Together exhibition at the Science and Media Museum, which was another insightful experience. This exhibition showcased Hockney’s innovative use of photography, highlighting his famous “joiners,” where multiple photographs are stitched together to create a new and dynamic composition. Hockney’s innovative approach to creating images through multiple photographs collaged together offers a refreshing take on visual storytelling, reminding me of the beautiful complexity of digital photography. Despite the rapid processing capabilities,  Hockney’s work still requires a creative and methodical approach, encouraging viewers to look at the world through a fractured yet cohesive lens.

Finally, we went down to the basement of the museum to visit the Kodak Gallery, which showcased the history and evolution of photography. It was an enlightening experience to see how far the industry has come, especially when considering my own work within commercial photography.  From stepping into a 19th-century portrait studio to see hundreds of incredible objects, including the museum’s first born-digital object, I found myself reflecting on the evolution of photography and how the analog processes that once defined photography are still influential in today’s digital age. My love of analog photography still remains, and a 35mm film camera remains the only camera in my everyday bag. I love the slower, more deliberate process and the feeling of the unknown that remains with this practice, causing me to slow down and appreciate what I am shooting more. These experiences still hold a special place in my heart.

Through these exhibitions, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of how photography can be a powerful tool for documenting the world and interpreting it in nuanced, meaningful ways. The blending of fine art practices has sparked new ideas for my own photographic journey, reminding me that appreciating different art forms holds immense value in my future ability to create impactful visual narratives.