OFF CENTRE EXHIBITION LAUNCH

Nottingham’s Independent Photo Festival, Off Centre, is back. After a highly successful first edition in 2018, this event will officially launch the second edition of this city-wide festival and celebrate the local photographers who have been chosen to take part.

Preview NAE’s presentation of the festival in our Central Gallery, meet the artists and enjoy a drinks reception with presentations by the event organisers.

This year, to help us launch the festival, we have three short talks by Grace Eden, Phoebe Kiely and Vanley Burke.

Grace Eden

Grace’s work was noticed by the Renewal Trust at the 2018 Off Centre Festival and was offered an opportunity to produce a body of work. Grace is a full-time carer for her father in St Ann’s, where she has lived all of her life and is a self-taught photographer. Supported by The Renewal Trust’s Creative Programme, Place, ‘Glowing Older’ is a stunning exhibition of portraits in the style of the ‘Old Masters’ and impressionist/pre-Raphaelite paintings, and has been shown at the Broadway Gallery, and St Peters Church, Nottingham.

Phoebe Kiely

Phoebe earned a BA from Manchester School of Art (2015). Her series ‘They were my landscape’ exhibited at Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool (2016). Two images from the series were selected for Portrait of Britain, BJP (2016). MACK published her first book under the title ‘They were my landscape’, which was launched at Photo London (2018). Kiely was nominated for the Paul Huf Award and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award (2018). BJP named her ‘One to Watch’ for their Talent Issue, adding her to the pool of ‘Futures’ taking her work to Unseen, Amsterdam and Peckham 24, London (2018). Kiely was selected by Vanessa Winship as one of the Next Generation Photographers, The Observer New Review Magazine (2018). Kiely exhibited in the 209 Women exhibition in Houses of Parliament, England (2018). Kiely has been nominated for the Paul Huf and the Joop Swart Masterclass (2019).

Vanley Burke

Vanley Burke was born in Jamaica and arrived in Birmingham in 1965 aged 15. Here he began photographing the lives and experiences of the African Caribbean community.

He is often described as the ‘Godfather of Black British Photography’, whereby his iconic images have captured the evolving cultural landscape, social change, and stimulated debate in the United Kingdom over the past four decades. He draws strength from remaining a humble man of the community, whose personable character allows him to capture the intimate and private nature of people’s everyday lives.

His body of work represents possibly the most significant photographic record of the Caribbean Diaspora in Britain. As an avid collector, Vanley continues to connect histories through his substantial archive housed at the Library of Birmingham. From local community organisations to the Victoria & Albert Museum and Whitechapel, Vanley has exhibited widely in the United Kingdom, and as far afield as New York, South Africa and China.

Vanley Burke is still documenting the black community in the UK and has recently worked on many projects including an exhibition and publication project documenting the Asian community in Birmingham. He recently appears on Desert Island Discs talking about his life and work

FREE
All are welcome

This event is now fully booked. To join the waiting list in case of cancellations or additional spaces being released in advance, please email [email protected]. We often have a limited number of spaces that become available on the day. If you would like to attend, please report to reception at least 15 minutes before the event start time and we will do our best to allocate any extra spaces on a first come, first served basis.