Graduates in focus at Chinese photography festival

More than a dozen recent Photography graduates will exhibit their work at the 2017 Pingyao International Photography Festival in China, the oldest and biggest of its type in the world.

Dr Sian Bonnell, Reader in Photography at Manchester Metropolitan University, is curating a showcase of top graduate work from the North of England. Fourteen of the chosen 16 artists are recent graduates from Manchester School of Art.

The students all completed their studies this year, other than Joseph Briggs-Price and Stan Platford, who graduated in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and have been recently working as Graduate Assistants. The full list of exhibiting students are:

Daniel Ariza

Courtney Birss

Joseph Briggs-Price

Harriet Broom

Alex Carter

Harry Drake

Wes Foster

Matt Leeves

Jake Macleod

Chloe Ogden

Stan Platford

Zoe Patchett

Josh Rea

Emma Wilson

Founded in 2001, the event attracts hundreds of renowned photographers from China and abroad each year to exhibit, and more than 100,000 visitors.

Dr Bonnell said:  “Photography at Manchester Metropolitan University is at the cutting edge of contemporary image making and it is really exciting to be promoting new work that has been made in the North of England.

“Students on the course are encouraged to exhibit and work professionally throughout the whole time on the programme. This is reflected in the high calibre of work that I was able to select for this international photography festival –  the largest of its kind in the world.”

The 2017 Pingyao International Photography Festival runs from 19-25th September. Check out the Instagram feed for the show, featuring all of the artists’ work.