SELECTED AS AN EXHIBITING ARTIST
FOR '(RETURN) TO THE SEA'
WITH SHUTTER HUB
As a practicing photographic artist, I'm absolutely thrilled to have one of my photographs selected to be part of a new, year-long exhibition titled '(Return) To The Sea', curated and organised by Shutter Hub.
The outdoor based exhibition celebrates the sea in almost every way imaginable, encompassing work from over 150 different photographers from around the world. Observations include everything from seascapes that celebrate the diverse beauty of our waters, photographs that highlight environmental concerns and work that illustrates our individual and collective emotional experiences.
The work that I submitted and that went on to be included in the exhibition is a photograph I took at one of my favourite coastal spots – Formby Beach in Merseyside. The image forms part of an ongoing series that I've been making for years, titled 'Last On The Beach' and in this particular image the 'last one' happened to be a brave cold water swimmer emerging from the waves in tiny trunks and an eye-catching red swimming hat.
"Last On The Beach is an ongoing personal project steeped in childhood nostalgia. Growing up in Devon fostered a deep and lasting connection with the beach and the sea – a connection that is tested now I live in Manchester. Perhaps this is why I'm compelled to continue with this work.
On family days to the beach we would often stay until the very end of the day. When everyone else packed up and left we would play beach cricket and eat pasties and brave a final dip in the water. It's a romanticised and idyllic memory, admittedly, but one that drives this work.
Now, whenever I can get to a beach, I want to be there at the end of the day. I'm interested in the ones that stay to the end, or that wait until the end to arrive. Essentially the subculture of the beach. The dog walkers, the lovers, the beach-combers, the fishermen – or the cold-water swimmers as in this image. Whoever they are and whatever they're doing, I photograph them to feed my nostalgia."
I'm super grateful to Shutter Hub for selecting my image to be part of this collection. For many reasons. For one, my heart lives with the sea – I grew up near to the coast and it calls me back frequently. It's often a subject of my work.
Also, because the exhibition itself takes place outdoors, right next to the sea, exposed to the elements. It's perfect! It also gave me a good reason to visit Worthing for the first time, to see the collection of beautiful photographs with my own eyes.
I also have a lot of respect for Shutter Hub and the work they do, so to have my work seen and selected by them for this exhibition makes it extra special.
I've included a couple of photographs in this post of our trip to Worthing last month (October 2024). It was a wild day. Tail end of an Atlantic storm or something was lashing the seafront. It was awesome.
(RETURN) TO THE SEA will exhibit 24/7 from 12 October 2024 – 12 October 2025 at the Seafront Gallery, Worthing.
Here is a link to the announcement for the exhibition which includes all of the details you need to go see it yourself. I highly recommend it, and if you can, choose a wild and windy day.
