On Thursday 25th April 2024 we held a Photographers Networking Event at Dimbola Museum & Galleries in Freshwater, with guest speaker and recent artist in resident George Budden.
George Budden joined us to talk about his sustainable workshop series which took place at Dimbola earlier last year with fellow artist Maddy Thompson.
George is a visual artist, curator, and workshop facilitator. Though he maintains a strong arts practice, rooted primarily in photography and alternative processes, his recent professional work has taken on the form of workshops, project management and curation. George works as a curator, workshop facilitator and event producer for Riposte London, a queer arts techno party and community. His residency at Dimbola last year enabled access to the darkroom and other facilities, engage with young people from across the Island to alternative photography processes.
This was an opportunity to network with others, find out more about opportunities at Dimbola and how we can make the most out of our resources here on the Isle of Wight.
We wanted to follow up the event with some of the things mentioned – references, ideas, links and ways to move forward with supporting the sector.
Here are a few of the books George had mentioned in relation to his practice:
These two are lovely to read, both quite humorous, and introduce some interesting ways of thinking around art and photography:
- ‘Towards a Philosophy of Photography’ by Vilem Flusser
- ‘Species of Spaces’ by Georges Perec.
Then these two are heavier reads and quite technical, but there are some really interested ideas in both. These are more around the semiotic and ethical implications on photography, and it’s use as a language tool:
- ‘Photography, Trace, and Trauma’ by Margaret Iversen
- ‘The Civil Contract of Photography’ by Ariella Azoulay.
George also referenced another photographer who had developed a seaweed photography recipe: Melanie King https://www.instagram.com/melaniekatking/ and here is her bladderwrack seaweed recipe.
To download a PDF of George’s presentation slides, please click here.
Some other photography networks based off-island:
Pompey Darkroom: https://pompeydarkroom.co.uk
A small collective based in Portsmouth that plan and curate photography exhibitions, talks and event in the city.
Photoworks: https://photoworks.org.uk
Brighton-based photography network with a global reach that helps to support the sector through commissioning, research, advocacy, profiling and events.
Ways to continue to support the sector:
An open Photographers Facebook Forum, more regular meet ups with guest speakers, increase opportunities to show work in these kinds of spaces and make work with others.
If you’d like to contact Dimbola about holding similar events/activities/networking opportunities, or to enquirer about darkroom usage, please contact: Kelly Wetherick – Curator at Dimbola: [email protected]
FREE CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP WITH GEORGE AS PART OF ‘HEAR ME NOW‘ BREVITY PROJECT on 25th May 2024.
