Talk
This discussion was recorded in order to become a contextual text for this publication. The event was hosted in the University of Wales, Newport, on the 24th April 2008 with a panel of contributors.
The essay presented here is an edited version of a longer discussion that examined a broad range of issues addressing the role of photographic students work within the heritage of this institution.
Geraint Cunnick: To begin with it would be worth examining the relationship of contemporary photographic practice as we now see it to a context or locale. Perhaps it would be fitting that this might be within the nation of Wales.
This might raise the question of a notion of ‘Welshness’ and the relationship not only to the rest of the UK but also internationally as well.
For example within this Photographic Art degree programme we promote both a sense of looking at what is happening externally and also ask students to look internally, bringing their own elements of self-reflection. We ask them to consider how they see the world but also how their environment influences and forms part of their responses.
Does that mean then that we contribute or create somewhat of a photographic heritage? Is this contemporary practice driven by any notion of
‘Welshness’ or nationality? Perhaps is it much more in keeping with or a reflection of trends generally?
Peter Finnemore: I think that Welsh consciousness within art and photography is sort of marginalised. Why do artists have to go to London, New York, Newport, university, wherever, to make art? Part of my work is about validating marginalised cultures, environments as being worthy of being made into art and given a voice.
Chris Coppock: This is interesting because I think that there is quite a long, linear history of social documentation of Wales and Welsh identity embodied within particular kinds of industrial movements. I think what Peter is talking about is a kind of psychological space which is less about trying to be definitive in terms of describing how Wales is a country and more about trying to talk about one’s place of marginalisation within colonial history.
If you were to look at the orthodox historical view of how Wales has evolved I think you’d find a lot of contemporary artists would say actually that doesn’t fit very comfortably with how they perceive this country. I think that’s a big problem, interestingly Newport’s fascinating for me, it’s only very recently that I’ve heard the college talk about addressing its location, i.e. being part of
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Wales and not straddling the border with England. I would argue that this place has operated, predomintantly as a British institution that just happens to be in Wales. I think that locational politics is something that has been somewhat missing from the dialogue within this institution.
GC: Newport has always had that odd relationship with both sides of the border I guess. What about the idea of marginalisation within your own community, that’s quite interesting isn’t it?
PF: I think images can help with this as well, in a way the Newport Survey1 with David Hurn and Ron McCormack and people. This helped to define a certain type of identity, give a Welsh identity to Newport which is multi-cultural, post- industrial sort of place. In a way you could say photography through its archiving helps to cement a shared identity of a culture in a city.
1. The Newport Survey: The Newport Survey Photographic Collection is a collection of black and white photographic images taken by documentary photography students which document the then town of Newport in the 1980s. These photographs formed the basis of a series of 8 publications on various themes relating to the town, also called Newport Survey. Details of the 2,200 images are available on the library catalogue and the photographs are reference only. In addition we also have a small photographic collection of historical costumes.
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