"Streets of Stirchley" Work Exhibited

Images from the "Streets of Stirchley" project will be on display at the Stirchley Community Church from next week. They will be shown in the newly-refurbished cafe, which will be officially opened on Wednesday 17th December 2008.
The church have kindly offered me a semi-permanent exhibition which will updated at regular intervals. I would like to take this oportunity to thank them for supporting and promoting local artists, in particular pastor Gary Cadge.

There will be six images on display. There will also be work available to view in my portfolio. All work is available to buy, framed or unframed.
If you're interested in attending then please get in touch with me. Looking forward to seeing you there...

Stirchley Community Church
Hazelwell Street ( opp. the old baths )
Stirchley
Birmingham B30 2JX

Wednesday 17th December 2008, 7.30 pm - onwards. Refreshments provided.

New Book Available To Preview/Buy

I've just published another collection of images online. It's a comprehensive overview of the "We Aren't The Dead" series. There are many new images featured in the book. It's available to preview or you can own a copy of your very own. Click on the badge below and it will take you to a 15-page of 56 sneak peek:

We Aren't The ...

By Sean McGarry

Book Preview

More From "We Aren't The Dead"

Some new images from the series. I've been working hard recently and will be presenting an exhibition of the series in May 2009 at Light House, Wolverhampton. I'm also putting a new book together on the series, which will reflect the project in a more representational way - a fuller picture of the series which will more truly reflect my ideas and intentions behind the work.

Progress Report

Rhubarb-Rhubarb, the UK’s International Portfolio Review event, took place at the Aston Business School in Birmingham from 31st July – 3rd August. I’ve worked at Rhubarb for a number of years now, but this event was different for me. I was showing my portfolio for the first time proper. Although daunting at first, it became informative, and on reflection was an invaluable experience. I got some encouraging, informative and interesting feedback on my projects. I knew I was going in the right direction, but to have my convictions confirmed by experts in the field really vindicates the belief I hold in what I do.

I’d like to thank all those reviewers who reviewed my portfolio; Thomas Kellner, Moritz Neumuller, Bill Kouwenhoven, Jim Casper, Peg Amison, Sian Bonnell, Chris Rauschenberg, Karol Hordziej, Katy Barron and Kate Pryor-Williams.

I’m having a solo exhibition at Wolverhampton’s Light House in 2009. Date to be confirmed. I’m also in talks with Wolverhampton Art Gallery about collaborating on a possible exhibition opportunity.

New Business Card

Click to enlarge. Not the most enthralling post I've made, but nevertheless informative...

Book Available To Preview/Buy

"We Aren't The...

By Sean McGarry

Book Preview

I've decided to consolidate the work from "We Aren't The Dead" into a Blurb book. Click on the image above and you can take a sneak preview at a section of it, or even buy it should you feel suddenly overcome with unbridled generosity...

More from "Streets Of Stirchley"

New Project, "Streets Of Stirchley", July 2008

Images from a new series of work, centred on the main shopping area in Stirchley, Birmingham. One by one, the independent shops and businesses close, the area becomes run-down and people stop visiting the few shops that remain. Tesco is planning to open a new supermarket. The story is familiar across the UK, Europe, the West. The spirit, personality and identity of local areas slowly gets squeezed out and what remains will be the same faceless, homogenous, sterile environment that we're all becoming used to seeing. The local residents have set up an action group in resistance to Tesco's proposed development - which will directly face a large superstore which has been established for many years. Is there any need for this new store? Or is the omnipresent Tesco yet again planting roots and laying claim to another local shopping district?

My aim with this new project is to document the places and later the people who still make a living with their independent shops and businesses. Some of them are barely making enough to survive. This is an ongoing look at how a high street can slowly yet surely give way to the market forces of the economy and how it seems to fall apart before our eyes. There is always hope though, and it's by no means dead and buried yet - Tesco or no Tesco...

Work Published in BJP 23/4/08

This week's issue of the British Journal of Photography, dated 23/4/08. contains some of my work. It's been entered into the Project Assistant Award, and can be found in the back two pages. It can also be viewed online:
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=790409
Please take a look, and let me know what you think of it. Further images from the project can be seen by clicking on the "We Aren't The Dead" sections in the left-hand column.
If you're viewing it after 30th April 2008, it will appear in the archive section:
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=437579
Thanks for taking the time to look at my work.

Trees

Trees have always fascinatred me, and continue to do so. They always have a sense of majesty, wisdom, mystery and strength. I'm not a tree-hugger by any means, just respectful of the power and awe of mother nature.

New Landscapes

Landscape photography is such an established tradition that it almost has little new left to say as an artform. But there's nothing more inspiring than a scene of such natural beauty which compels us as onlookers to capture the image forever. It's a completely natural reaction which we've been doing for a very long time. We simply want to re-visit that time and place whenever we like.