Reading: a start and a return
Reading: a Start and a Return a photographic homecoming 30 years in the making
our founder, Richard Pinches, is having his first photographic exhibition in 30 years.
Turbine House Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock
off Kenavon Drive, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3DH
Photographic Exhibition Open everyday 10 am until 6pm July 25 - August 8 2015
You are invited to meet the 5 photographers at the opening event Saturday 25th July 2015, 12 midday - 3pm.
Reading: A Start and a Return features the photographic work of five photographers who met and studied together at Berkshire College of Art and Design, King’s Road, Reading from 1983-1985.
On this, the 30th anniversary of the photographers being turned out from BCAD to begin their careers, the 5 decided to hold a reunion photographic exhibition. A chance to reflect back at Reading, photography and each other and contemplate where it all ended up three decades later.
The photographers:
Tanya Ahmed, Pete Cole, Darran Gough, Richard Pinches and Dave Willis, are showing a variety of photographs from Reading taken in their college years and contrasting these with new work made specifically for
Reading: A Start and a Return. The five photographers have produced a photographic meditation on time, place, relationships and photography itself.
Twitter: #ReadingReturn
Exhibition Website: http://readingreturn.weebly.com
Reading Museum: http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/visiting/?pg=2
Directions to the Turbine House:
WALK: The Riverside Museum is about 20 minutes walk from Reading train station, off Kenavon Drive. Access is through the car park of the Bel and the Dragon restaurant, where facilities and refreshments are available.
BUS: Bus number 17 from the town centre stops on nearby King's Road, outside the Prudential offices (Huntley & Palmers stop), it is then a short walk along Gasworks Road to the site.
CAR: From the M4 Junction 10 follow the A329M towards the town centre (you will end up on the A4, London Road on the map). From Junction 11 follow the A33 towards the town centre. From Junction 12 follow the A4 to the town centre. There is limited parking - remember to collect a car park token from Bel and the Dragon to exit the site when the barrier is in use. The nearest public car park is at Queen’s Road. Alternatively use park and ride buses to the centre of Reading. The postcode is RG1 3DH.
Biographies
Tanya Ahmed
Tanya moved to Reading from the Midlands at 15 and joined Berkshire College of Art and Design straight from school. During college she assisted studio photographers in Reading and London and also worked at Snappy One Hour Photo Lab in Woolworths! Her first full time photography job was as staff photographer with the Wokingham Times and Reading Standard newspapers. Tanya left Reading to see the world working along the way as a travel, studio and editorial photographer. She is currently a Senior Photographer for the NYPD and freelances with the Met and Guggenheim museums. Tanya’s personal work centers around the built environment and for fun she is studying for a Masters with the Open College of the Arts.
Syncretize
Working with the basic premise of then and now, Tanya has dipped into her photographic archive to explore time, distance, technology and relationships. For this exhibition Tanya has chosen several photographs of Reading residents from thirty years ago and has made new photographs in New York using today’s photographic technology. In addition a small series of postcard sized images contrasts Tanya’s two homes; the Reading environment she photographed in the eighties and the NYC environment she photographs now.
www.tanyaahmed.com
Peter Cole
Peter left 6th form college in Chertsey after just two weeks of starting his A levels to attend Berkshire College of Art and Design in Reading, by accident, or maybe it was fate? It’s a long story! Since the age of 5 he has had a great passion for photography, turning his bedroom into a darkroom when only 13. He started working at Holborn studios in London after his work experience there. He then left the photography business to pursue his other passion, cycling. Today Peter lives in France, working in the world of cycling, in product and brand design & development, still using his photography for promoting and marketing his products.
Voyage Across Europe
Peter’s first experience of real “Street Photography” was being sent to Brixton with his classmates to find people and the cities they lived in. His class was then off to Paris to capture quintessential France. These excursions were the start of a life of travel. Although Peter left professional photography his camera accompanied him on the long voyage of life. In 1986 he headed to the mountains, and visited many European cities, met many people and climbed lots of mountains. These photographs are a small selection from Peter's voyage across Europe, back then and now.
http://artisancycles.co.uk/
Darran Gough
Darran is a local lad born in Reading and brought up in Shiplake. He studied photography at King James College Henley before moving to BCAD. After leaving Darran started as a photographer/assistant producer on a film about Venice working in the city producing "The Venice Experience". Returning to the UK he worked for an audio visual company near Pinewood Studios. It was during this time that Darran began to freelance for local newspapers following fire crews to incidents. Watching the firemen at work he realised "I could do that
job!" He joined the retained fire service in Henley on Thames. After training Darran realised that he was becoming disillusioned with working in the professional photographic world and turned his back on it making a career change which is now in its 30th year. Finally, they say that there is a book inside everyone. Darran has started his. 30 years in the fire results in many experiences. some sad some happy but all memorable
Life in the Triple 9s
Darran’s photographs portray the quieter side of life in the emergency services rather than the headline grabbing emergency calls. As part of his firefighter duties Darran also provides fire cover for air shows, air displays and for aircraft carrying out parachute training for the MOD. These events add an exciting facet to his career and provide many photographic opportunities. For this exhibition Darran has created a montage based on bringing a project Richard did at BCAD 30 years ago up to date. Richard explored people's personalities by photographing the inside of their glove compartments in their cars. Darran has brought the original idea to the fire crews' locker room where he has photographed the insides of his fire crews locker doors! Each one unique and fascinating to compare.
Richard Pinches
For Richard, born in Reading and living In Henley-on-Thames, attending BCAD was a convenient choice. It was there, after photographing many bottles of lager that Richard realised the area of photography he wanted to pursue. During his college work placement with Paul Howerd Richard was shown how to light beverages and products. He was hooked for good
and Richard realised still life and product photography would be his forte. After college Richard worked again for Howerd honing his skills further until he branched out as a photographer in his own right at the tender age of 21. He quickly set up his own Meadows Farm studios only 2 years later, where he is still heavily immersed in the digital world of photography.
Product Photography: 'Film versus Digital'
Originally shooting on traditional 5x4 transparency film Richard’s photography has now moved into the digital age. The photographs shown here in 'film versus digital' compares the photography and lighting techniques with the artistic styles of both his photography and the products themselves, from 30 years ago with today. The 2014 Blackthorn cider shot an example of today’s techniques. What was impossible as a single take in the 1980s, this digital image actually comprises 5 separate shots all Photoshopped into one! This technique is common these days, the overhead shot of a Chrysler Crossfire is actually 3 shots, this facilitates a quicker shoot and a more pleasing result and hence a happy client.
http://www.richardpinches.co.uk
Dave Willis
Dave Willis came to Berkshire College of Art and Design as it was his nearest local full time photography course after leaving 6th form college in Henley. His admission interview consisted of standing on a table and demonstrating the front crawl. For the last 30 years he has worked as an editorial photographer shooting for record companies, magazines and newspapers. He has shot everyone from The Red Hot Chili Peppers to Michael Jackson. Over the years he has been accused of looking like Rick Astley, endured the mayhem of the summer festival circuit and has survived several Westlife concerts. As well as musicians he currently shoots actors and TV personalities for printed and online media. He maintains he looks nothing like Rick Astley.
Reloaded
Having left Berkshire College of Art and Design, Dave initially shot on monochrome film and colour transparency, and as client's requirements have changed, for the last 10 years, purely digitally. Technology has played a major part in image capture and also the distribution of images. For this exhibition Dave wanted to show some of his favourite images from the last 30 years of his career reflecting these gradual changes.
www.davewillisphotography.co.uk
Reading: A Start and a Return - Activities
A least one of the photographers aims to be at the Turbine House each day- drop in to have a chat about photography - check the website readingreturn.weebly.com for up to date information and dates, times and details of the following FREE activities:
PERCEPTION AND CONCEPTION - SLIDESHOW ILLUSTRATED TALK
Richard invites you to a slideshow and talk focusing on how to really ‘look’ at photographs in order to appreciate them more fully. Simple ideas Richard learnt at college that have stuck with him ever since. This talk will give you insight into both producing better photographs and appreciating other photographer’s work. There will be an informal question and answer session afterwards.
WHO: All welcome. Any skill level, any age. Children accompanied by an adult. WHEN & WHERE: Meet at the Turbine House.
Date: July: Monday 27th, Thursday 30th. Time: 11 - 11.30am and 4 - 4.30pm
August: Saturday 1st, Tuesday 4th, Thursday 6th. Time: 11 - 11.30am and 4 - 4.30pm
POSTCARDS OF READING - PHOTO WALK
Tanya invites you to join her for 3 photo walks around to create images for yourself and add to her archive entitled Postcards of Reading, 2015. Taking inspiration from her images in the 1980s, we will forgo the usual cliched subject matter of the Hexagon, churches & narrow boats and focus instead on the actual experience of Reading that we encounter when walking through it. The resulting postcards will feature in a one day pop up exhibition at the Turbine House on the last day of Reading: A Start and a Return.
WHO: All welcome. Any skill level, any age, any camera. Children accompanied by an adult. WHEN & WHERE: Meet at the Turbine House. Time: 7.45am Each walk will finish at 10am. Sunday 26 July, Wednesday 29 July, Saturday 1 August. Choose any or all dates.
Pop Up Exhibition: Set - up Saturday 8 August 8am. Pop up exhibition opening 10am.
POSTCARDS OF READING - POSTE RESTANTE
Can't make it to the photo walks? Just mail your photograph(s), as a 4" x 6" postcard with your name, postal and e mail address and a brief thought on Reading on the back to: Tanya Ahmed, POSTE RESTANTE, 21-22 Market place, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2DQ. Or bring between 1 and 5 of your 4 x 6 photographs on Saturday 8th August. We’ll add a postcard back and display them in the exhibition. All exhibited postcards will be kept for Tanya’s archive.
Pop Up Exhibition: Set - up Saturday 8 August 8am. Pop up exhibition opening 8 August 10am. WHO: All welcome. Any skill level.
WHEN & WHERE: Postcards by Mail to arrive between 25 July & 5 August - Tanya Ahmed, Poste Restante, 21-22 Market Place, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2DQ . Pop Up Exhibition: Set - up Saturday 8 August 8am. Pop up exhibition opening 8 August 10am.