Being part of a community no matter how big or small, can be greater than just the sum of its parts. It’s both a collective and individual identity.
The temporary and often aesthetically lacking appearance of an allotment, for example, can seem messy and nonsensical, but a closer look reveals patterns, considerations and like-minded thinking behind each gate. Connections are made through storytelling, knowledge-sharing and the odd moan about the weather and weeds. Yes, an allotment is essentially a place to grow food and flowers, but for myself and my partner it’s a safe haven, a crowd of friendly faces and a landscape for mental and physical therapy.
At first, a collection of exhibited photographs could seem incoherent or disjointed with no real explanation as to the reason, especially if you’re only getting a cursory glance whilst you maintain speed on your current cultural venture. Photographs can be simple snapshots in time, never reaching or hinting at a before and after and often only offering a quick glimpse at an inconsequential or even physically forced moment. But they are also an invaluable documentary resource alongside an accessible and often convenient outlet for creativity.
Feeling disjointed and removed from your own environment is something that most people will feel from time to time. Being geographically displaced and removed from a familiar world suddenly to be thrust into a whole new one is a totally different story.
New Faces New Focus: Stories We Share at Kirkby Gallery is a companion display to Open Eye Gallery’s exhibition of the same name, giving the opportunity to explore the journeys, experiences, perspectives and stories from a wide range of people.
‘Exile unsettles the relationship between body, memory and self-image. A person may live in one place, feel attached to others, and yet feel at home in none. One face is visible, while several selves are carried within.’ Anoosh Ariamehr’s Between Remaining and Fading depicts a collection of images all hiding certain aspects of a person’s self. An etched out face or a blurred body in movement tells a story of a fragmented identity and the photographers own relationship with the different parts of theirs. The reference to the bag as seen in the photographs completely covering a face, being a portable home and a sense of self but also a statement for their current status, it highlighted their burden before telling their story.
We are all just looking for a place or people to belong to, but we can find this place resonating in our own history or heritage. People often look into their own family histories to gain an insight into why they are the way they are. Other people already have a strong sense of self and take pride in their family traditions.
To carry on a legacy of a family member through work or pass down an heirloom gives a person a sense of purpose. Connection to a relative is at the heart of James Collins’ work which features his grandfather’s clock, ‘although my grandfather and I were separated by time, we became united through this timepiece.’
Both James and his grandfather worked in the same factory, experiencing the same clocking in and out routine, 30 years apart. James found his place within the factory and revelled in the camaraderie found in his employees. Not knowing his grandfather, this one piece of furniture is a tangible piece of his history that can almost fill a grandfather shaped void in his memory.
Finding places where we fit in is hardwired into us, from the very first friends we make in school to career relationships and then family we make for ourselves. It comes easy to some people, and others need encouragement to be a part of something.
In Andy Johnson’s work he finds that sense of purpose in many different places, from storytelling at open mic nights to learning photography skills with Open Eye Gallery. Shared experiences, whether good or bad, give people common ground and a base to build on. Johnson describes a childhood with an importance around religion and attending church, though he doesn’t attend anymore it was a community foothold that resonated with him in his formative years. Andy also talks about Incredible Edible in Court Hey Park, where volunteers come together to grow food for the local community. We actually visited this hidden gem in its early days and it’s amazing to see how it’s grown, always including new events and workshops all focused on wellbeing.
We felt like we had won the lottery when we were offered our allotment, and I take every given opportunity to wax lyrical about its benefits to anyone who will listen. It was a long wait on a very long list, but it was worth it.
Stepping through the main gate, the world softens and becomes friendly, easy and familiar again. My phone is at capacity with photographs of flowers, vegetables and horticultural vistas for me to look back on in the winter and inspire me as the growing season begins again. It’s my own collection of memories, documenting and helping me learn to grow as a gardener. This is an incredibly important part of my identity that has shaped who I am, I can’t imagine life without it now.
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New Faces, New Focus is open at Kirkby Gallery until 21st October 2026
Words, Kathryn Wainwright
