Alejandra Carles-Tolra Sam Laughlin Lua Ribeira
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1 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS ALEJANDRA CARLES-TOLRA SAM LAUGHLIN LUA RIBEIRA RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS Photoworks January 2018 Juliette Buss 2 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 3 2 HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE 5 3 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS EXHIBITIONS 6 4 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTISTS 8 ALEJANDRA CARLES-TOLRA 8 SAM LAUGHLIN 9 LUA RIBEIRA 10 5 KEY THEMES 12 6 PROMPTS FOR DISCUSSION IN THE GALLERY 14 7 ACTIVITIES IN THE GALLERY 16 8 BACK AT SCHOOL 17 9 RELATED ARTISTS 18 10 USEFUL WEBSITES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY 20 3 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS INTRODUCTION Founded in 2015, the Jerwood/Photoworks The mentoring has required a level of Awards has established itself as a unique national commitment from each artist, to question their opportunity enabling early career photographers working processes and to push their work into to create new work within a supportive new territories. It’s been a privilege to see their environment. The Awards are as much about ideas develop and take form. supporting progress, process and artistic risk as they are a recognition of talent in photography. The approach of each of the Awardees has been As an active and critical programme, the truly diverse, both in the subjects explored as Jerwood/Photoworks Awards is invested in well as their attentiveness and their distinctive nurturing and enabling relevant, informed approaches to image making. In Alejandra and engaging new work to be made. Carles-Tolra’s series Where We Belong we find a sensitive exploration on belonging, femininity Three artists were selected through a national and escapism through a community of Jane call for proposals and reviewed by a selection Austen devotees that Alejandra has spent time panel which included ourselves, writer and with throughout 2017. In Sam Laughlin’s series photographer Mark Durden, and photographers A Certain Movement we encounter an exquisite Anna Fox and Ori Gersht. We carefully reviewed meditation on the state of the intricacies of the nearly 400 proposals, which demonstrates an natural world marginalised by human activities. incredible demand for such support and we Whilst in Lua Ribeira’s series Subida al Cielo encountered an exceptionally high quality of (Ascent Into Heaven), we are confronted by a ideas when reading and reviewing. The selection striking personal visualisation built on the fear process prompted much discussion, but what of dying, motivated by escape from reality and guided the decision on the three selected the longing for mythological significance in Awardees was the quality of their work, the contemporary life. potential of their ideas and the impact that the Awards will have on their practice. Celia Davies, Director, Photoworks Sarah Williams, Head of Programme, This edition of the Jerwood/Photoworks Awards Jerwood Visual Arts was awarded to Alejandra Carles-Tolra, Sam Laughlin and Lua Ribeira. Since they were selected in December 2016 they’ve had an incredible year of dialogue and development, with guidance from the teams at Photoworks and Jerwood Charitable Foundation, expertise from our committed cohort of Mentors as well as insight from our touring partners at Belfast Exposed and Impressions Gallery, Bradford. 4 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS Works by Alejandra Carles-Tolra, originally commissioned through Jerwood/Photoworks Awards 2017, installation view at Jerwood Space, January 2018. Photo: Anna Arca 5 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE PACK This resource offers ideas and information to CURRICULUM LINKS support teachers and students engaging with The pack does not make explicit curriculum the second Jerwood/Photoworks Awards in both links, but outlines a number of themes that gallery and classroom settings. It suggests a the photographers investigate in their work. range of simple discussion and practical activities The themes are broad and may be appropriate designed to encourage deeper levels of critical for embedding within a variety of different engagement, informed creative responses schemes of work at different levels of study. and greater awareness and understanding of contemporary photography. THIS RESOURCE AIMS TO The pack is aimed at secondary and FE teachers, Develop greater awareness and with information suitable for adaptation at understanding of contemporary photography different levels. The pack is relevant mainly within the Art & Design, and Photography Encourage deeper levels of critical curriculum. However, teachers of other subjects engagement with photography such as English and Media Studies may also find it useful. Promote analytical thinking and visual literacy through dialogue and debate Inspire new ways of working with photography Stimulate curiosity, imagination and encourage creativity Works by Lua Ribeira, originally commissioned through Jerwood/Photoworks Awards 2017, installation view at Jerwood Space, January 2018. Photo: Anna Arca 6 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS THE SECOND JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS EXHIBITIONS The second Jerwood/Photoworks Awards IF YOU PLAN TO VISIT ONE OF exhibition travels across the UK in 2018. THE EXHIBITIONS: The Photoworks website provides the most up Make an advance visit to date information about what’s on during the We recommend that you visit the venue yourself exhibitions, along with practical information before bringing a group so that you know what such as opening times, venue & contact to expect. information and event booking details. Contact the venue directly EXHIBITION DATES Please ensure you contact the venue directly to 17 January – 11 March book your visit. This ensures you don’t miss out Jerwood Space on any available events and opportunities and 171 Union Street helps avoid group clashes. London SE10LN Admission is free to all venues jerwoodvisualarts.org ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 6 April – 23 June Additional free online resources at Impressions Gallery photoworks.org.uk Centenary Square Bradford BD1 1SD Virtual tour. If you are interested in the impressions-gallery.com programme, but cannot get your group to the exhibition, we’ve created a virtual tour. 2 November – 22 December Belfast Exposed Artist films. Each artist made a short film about 23 Donegal Street their work, providing valuable insight into their Belfast BT1 2FF working process. There are also films by belfastexposed.org Jerwood/Photoworks Awards mentors. Interviews, Articles, Showcases, Instagram Takeovers. There’s a wealth of additional critical and contextual information about the exhibiting artists and their mentors on our website JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS CATAOGUE A 48 page softback catalogue containing images, statements from the Awardees and commissioned writing by Mentor, Tim Clark is avaialble from photoworks.org.uk and exhibition venues at £4 7 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS Works by Sam Laughlin, originally commissioned through Jerwood/Photoworks Awards 2017, installation view at Jerwood Space, January 2018. Photo: Anna Arca 8 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS THE ARTISTS ALEJANDRA CARLES-TOLRA Over the course of a year, Alejandra spent time with, and photographed ‘Janeites’, a group of women who are passionate fans of the author Jane Austen. The women come together to dress in Regency clothing, recreate Regency life and celebrate Austen’s work. They visit stately homes, play classical music, attend balls, read poetry out loud and cook recipes from the period. Alejandra’s work revolves around this group of women and the deep connections that they have. Alejandra focuses on themes of identity, femininity, escapism and our need to belong, but the thread that runs through the work is about collective identity and how individual identities are shaped, informed and empowered by the groups of like minded people or communities that we choose to be part of. “ Why would women from the 21st Alejandra’s images examine the relationships century want to embody a female and closeness of the women, whom she often identity that was defined in a very photographed interacting in groups and pairs, or with dramatic use of lighting, in settings that male dominated society?” mix the past with the present. PROMPTS FOR DISCUSSION Why do people dress up? What might the ‘Janeites’ have in common, other than a love of Jane Austen? Describe the interactions between the characters in the photographs. st Why might 21 century women choose to dress up as fictional characters from 18th century Regency England? Alejandra Carles-Tolra Untitled, from the series Where We Belong 9 JERWOOD/PHOTOWORKS AWARDS RESOURCE PACK FOR TEACHERS THE ARTISTS SAM LAUGHLIN Sam is interested in natural processes, in particular animal behaviour and the ways in which animal behaviour is manifested in the landscape. However, he is keen not to be considered a traditional wildlife photographer. He describes his photographs as the antithesis to David Attenborough and his often exotic, awe-inspiring films. Working mainly in black & white, the work is subtle, sensitive and quiet, avoiding dramatization or spectacle and any clichés of wildlife photography. Sam’s work examines behaviours such as nesting, migration and other behavioural patterns, closely observing how this behaviour quietly disrupts or affects the natural landscape, and physically shapes the environment. He photographs mainly UK species that are considered quite commonplace, yet are often overlooked and actually threatened by human actions. His work can be seen as a comment on environmental issues such as loss of habitat and urbanisation. “Subtlety is key to my works” Sam spends a lot of time scouting for his animal subjects before returning with his equipment to photograph. The work reveals his interest in the processes that lie behind what he photographs. For example, his photographs of nests explore the patterns and intricacies of nesting behaviour. PROMPTS FOR DISCUSSION Why are all of Sam’s photographs black & white? What do Sam’s images have in common with each other (e.g. seeking patterns in nature, animal habitats) Name some of the different animal behaviours Sam has observed through his work (e.g.