Satellite Group Updates

We will be holding our August meeting on the afternoon of the 20th on the Southbank if you would like to come along please contact me for further details graemewebb@mac.com.

Constructed Realities is a LIP group specialising in staged imagery and constructed still life photography, organised by Nick Cobb and Graeme Webb.

The term “constructed” refers to bodies of works of photography in which the motif or theme has been staged especially for the image, and in which the artist, in addition to their role as photographer, also plays the part of narrator, director, stage and costume designer, lighting engineer, set builder and even subject. The group also encompasses still life photographers who work in collage or montage and manipulate or manage objects and materials to create narrative images.

Nick and Graeme publish and exhibit their work on a regular basis and are looking to work with other like minded artists to communicate ideas, collaborate and work towards a group exhibition in 2011/12.

For examples of photographers who work in this genre can we suggest the following:

Miniature Staged: Ellen Brooks, Slinkachu & Arthur Tress.

Staged Photography: Cindy Sherman & Gregory Crewdson.

Still Life: Calum Colvin

Some examples of work shown at our July meeting when the group discussed the topic ‘Working on a Project’. A lively debate ensued in which people discussed various approaches to working in this way – from the concentration of a project in a day, long-term projects which require a slower, more reflective pace, or series/collections of images which somewhere along the way turn into projects almost unnoticed.

From the ‘Athens’ series by Brendan Delaney

From the series ‘The patience of the silver birch’ by Hugh Look

From the series ‘Model Landscape’ by Ingrid Newton

From the series ‘Small Songs’ by Ariadne van de Ven

From the series ‘Defences’ by Krystina Stimakovits

Our next meeting will take place on Wed 10th August, at 18.45 at the usual venue – The Artworkers Guild, 6 Queens Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3AT, where we will be discussing the current Thomas Struth exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery and giving feedback on the LIP Preparing for an Exhibition workshop taking place on 6th August. This will be of particular use for anyone considering entering work in the upcoming LIP Annual Exhibition. We will also be continuing our discussions on the theme of Working on a Project so if anyone has a project they would like to share, please do come along and bring some examples of work to show.

From the meetup:

Jozi thru a car window by Rashida Mangera

Elephant & Castle by Astrid Baerndal

We had a great meeting on the 21st – Andrew had retraced the steps of a photographer from July 1986, who had taken part in the Domesday Project of that year and photographed the River Thames near Kew. BBC decided this year to publicise the project and ask members of the public to update these images with one taken this year (see Andrew’s picture above). He discovered that the boat featured in the original 25 years ago was still running along the Thames, as he discovered in Barnes further on that very day.

Leonard Caudrey showed us some of his recent images from his trip to Israel, a lovely one of his cab driver and spot the guns just hanging in the shop by the mosque!

It was confirmed that we have some exhibition space booked at the Putney Library for early next year and also the offer of using space at the Putney School of Art and Design – these will be discussed at more length at our next meeting – possible themes etc. Another idea floated was for us to co-join with another art group in Putney to present a joint piece of work. More next month, but members were asked to go away and think about what might work best.

Our next meeting was set for Tuesday 23rd August at 7PM at 18 Dungarvan Avenue. The theme for this meeting will be The Putney Sculpture Trail. Members are invited to visit the trail and take as many pictures as they like for presentation next time.

Pics from the meetup as follows …

Cloisters: Gloucester Cathedral by Summeet Kaur

Daisy by Alan Phinbow

South Yorkshire Navigation Canal: Rotherham by Keith Ellis

Frances and her grandmother, from ‘Somerville Sixteen 1963, portraits of a group of friends’a book by Jennifer Hurstfield and Kate Wentworth of portraits and interviews of a group of friends looking at how they feel about life in their mid-sixties.

by Tony Othen

On the watch by Ravi Goel

by Justin Welch

by Ida Pap

by Andrew Wilson

by Leonard Caudrey

For June’s theme, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday, where you will see that they are celebrating the 25 anniversary of a project conducted in the 80’s, where people were encouraged to take pictures of their local areas. If you wish to take part, choose any of the pictures taken in London (or elsewhere if the fancy takes you – no restrictions) and see about updating it 2011 style. This ought to be a lot of fun, especially if by accident two of us happen to cover the same place, as the different styles will shine through. We will review at July’s meeting.

The June meeting on the 13th is a combination of our normal monthly outing with our monthly meeting, out for the evening for some camera work together with an opportunity to try out some local Barnes hospitality.

The July meeting will be on Tuesday 26th July at 7PM, where one the items up for discussion will be a demonstration of mount cutting – so don’t miss it!

For full details about meetings email aw@unity-publishing.co.uk

Constructed Realities is one of London Independent Photography’s satellite groups.

It meets on a regular basis in central London.

This flickr area enables the members of this group to share their images.

Constructed Realities flickr group pool click here

The term “constructed” refers to bodies of works of photography in which the motif or theme has been staged especially for the image, and in which the artist, in addition to their role as photographer, also plays the part of narrator, director, stage and costume designer, lighting engineer, set builder and even subject. The group also encompasses still life photographers who work in collage or montage and manipulate or manage objects and materials to create narrative images.

The group was set up by Nick Cobb and Graeme Webb, they publish and exhibit their work on a regular basis and are looking to work with other like minded artists to communicate ideas, collaborate and work towards a group exhibition in 2011/12.

Contact: constructed_image@me.com

Pics from the May meeting:

Danny in Sewing Machine Centre by Anita Strasser

Disjointed Symphony by Judith Jones

Glacier Lagoon Iceland by Chris Hudson

“Lorry 288″ from a 1960s photographic collection recently discovered by John Whitfield

The Wall by Jennifer Roberts

We spent an enjoyable sunny Saturday afternoon at the Festival Hall discussing our current projects and sharing work. I also discovered that the bar sells ‘Meantime’ Pilsner hic. Next meeting mid June, Contact me if you would like to know more about the group.

Images: Ewa Lachowicz, Joanne Stapleton, Nick Cobb and Graeme Webb.

Some of the group’s photos from April’s theme, ‘fantasy’:

Leonard Caudrey

Justin Welch

This month’s meeting is on Tuesday 24th May at 7PM, details are in the LIP Calendar. Our theme of the month, is ‘bridges’. For further details contact Andrew by email