Thanks to Tony Knox for this report of last nights meeting at Open Eye.
JANUARY PUBLIC MEETINGS. Red Eye first meeting takes place on 17th January 2006
Open Eye Gallery, 28-32 Wood Street, Liverpool, L1
Redeye, a Manchester based photographic network silently made its debut at the Open Eye Gallery Liverpool, Paul Herrmann took centre stage in principal asking what people wanted, while continuing to show some of the work photographer’s have been associated with in the history of redeye. This is long overdue but at least the open eye gallery had finally taken the initiative to invite redeye. Considering the success of redeye within Manchester.
The purpose of this meeting is to try and get a sense of community and discourse between the photographers and visual artists who may have felt somewhat excluded because of the lack of involvement that the gallery has had in the past. The atmosphere was relaxed and late-comers were greeted with a glass of wine and an engaging speaker. The venue of the open eye was crowded with 30 plus to the background of ‘The Factory of Dreams’ exhibition, the participants, encouraged to express and share their knowledge and concerns, egos were left outside.
Openeye is one of only a handful of photography galleries within England and personally I feel it is important that the gallery integrates itself with the community as well as showing international and contemporary photographers to the highest level but also to be accessible and engaging to photographers and artists that one day they may have the opportunity to show within the gallery. The recently appointed director of the Open eye, Patrick Henry, has a friendly demeanour and additionally an ex-professional photographer himself hopefully he will be sympathetic and supportive to some of the regional talents. This is a step in the right direction to achieve the objectives additionally it is also the responsibility of the photographers and visual artist to engage and share and to communicate with each other.
Tony Knox 2006